The Memory Remains
by Rae666
Summary: For two weeks Sam hasn’t seen or heard from Dean and his search is getting nowhere. Now he’s filing a missing persons report in a small town with a cop who looks an awful lot like his big brother.
1. Here it goes again

.-.-. Memory Remains.-.-.-.

Summary:

For two weeks Sam hasn't seen or heard from Dean and his search is getting nowhere. Now he's filing a missing persons report in a small town with a cop who looks an awful lot like his big brother.

Disclaimer - The usual, don't own 'em, just love playing with them. :D

Set late season 2… warnings for bad language and the other typical things you can expect from a SPN fic.

A/N: I have finally decided to get on and write this story. I got a message the other asking me when I was gonna do it so I decided right then that now was the time. I know I have two other stories going at the moment but for anyone reading them, please forgive me :D

Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

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Here it goes again

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

So this is what it felt like. This is what it was like when a family member disappeared, leaving you all alone with no clue as to how you're gonna find them. Two weeks, two whole freaking weeks had gone by and Sam was no closer to finding Dean. In the last day alone he must have called Dean's cell two dozen times and left messages for at least half a dozen of them.

Of course it didn't help the fact that they were working a missing person's case and had barely even begun to get into the researching side of it. The scenarios just kept running through Sam's mind, torturing him as he imagined what could have happened to Dean, working his way through the list of every creature he and Dean had been talking about as possibilities and lingering on the outcomes far too long.

He didn't want to think about the 'maybes'. He wanted facts. But unfortunately, that was something he didn't have a lot of. Closing his eyes tight, he tried to remember what had happened the night Dean had vanished. They were leaving the motel room, like they'd done so many times before. And after that, all he could remember was an intense pain towards the back of his head as if someone had hit him with something strong and hard… then darkness.

Next thing he knew, he'd woken up in one of those bright white hospital rooms. The doctor's told him squat, giving him funny looks whenever he asked about his brother and insisting he had been brought in alone and that no one else had been found. They told him that one of the local cops had found him sprawled outside the motel room. Jonathan Grey or something…

That was a lead… He guessed maybe something had happened and his brother had used an alias. Though why he'd say he was a local cop was beyond Sam, until of course he found out that Officer Jonathan Grey _was_ actually a local cop… and heartthrob at that, strictly off limits though, what with being a family man and that.

Well bang went that theory.

Though the only thing wrong with Sam was mild head trauma and the little fact that he'd been unconscious, the doctors were reluctant to let him go just yet, especially since they didn't know whether the supposed brother was real or imaginary. But Sam insisted he was fine and nothing bad developed so after the observation period was over, he managed to hitch a ride back to the motel in hopes of finding Dean lazing about in the room.

He had it all planned out. He was gonna go marching into the room yelling and screaming, asking why the hell Dean didn't pick him up from the hospital. The fact that the Impala was parked neatly outside room number four, the room they'd been staying in, just strengthened the lie that he'd concocted that Dean was just being a jerk. But he didn't really believe it.

Unlocking the door and walking into the room, he wasn't all that surprised to see no sign of Dean and whatever yells he had been planning died instantly. What did surprise him however was that all the elder Winchester's things were gone; well except the car keys sitting on the table all by themselves. The room was completely void of anything that screamed, or even whispered, Dean.

The first thing he'd done was call Dean, who conveniently didn't answer. Then when he'd gotten sick of that, he began calling other contacts to see if they'd heard anything. Bobby - nothing. Ellen - nothing. Jo - nothing. Hell, even Missouri had no idea what had happened to him.

It was on day four that he started searching the newspapers. Day five he rang some local hospitals. Day six he checked the FBI databases just in case. But there was nothing. Every couple of days he'd repeat his patterns, remake the calls to contacts, to hospitals, to Dean. He'd recheck the papers and rehack into databases but he came up with nothing every time. It was as if Dean Winchester had just vanished.

He wanted to take the Impala and drive away from the creepy little town called Hilsdon and check the neighbouring towns, but all the other missing persons were focused in this town so Sam was left having to focus on the hunt in hopes that he'd find Dean too. He drove around Hilsdon for awhile, following up on leads that he and Dean had discovered before arriving but like always, coming up with nothing.

Two weeks ago he and his big brother had just been checking out a lead on a case, two weeks ago everything was fine. But now… his world was upside down. He'd retraced their footsteps, researched the case and the other missing people but continuing to come up with the same thing over and over again - a big fat nothing.

Digging out an FBI badge from the glove compartment - Sam decided there was one last thing he could try. But as it wasn't only Dean who was a wanted man, he couldn't help but be reluctant. Things were desperate though and Sam had finally decided maybe the only way to find his brother was to file a report… and work with the cops.

Suiting up, he took the Impala and parked up outside the small police station. It wasn't busy; he didn't expect it to be. The receptionist at the desk looked up at him with wide eyes as he came up to here, her brow creasing as if she'd never seen an FBI agent before, albeit a fake one, but still…

"Can I help you?"

"Hi, yeah… I'm Agent Williams from the FBI." He said, flashing his badge as his eyes swept over the office space behind her, "Is there anyone about that I can talk to?"

"The only one here at the moment is me." She answered, biting her lip nervously. Oh yeah, she definitely didn't know what she was supposed to do if the FBI came knocking.

"Do you know when someone'll be back?" He smiled at her as nicely as he could considering how anxious he was feeling.

She opened her mouth to answer but the door behind Sam opened and he heard footsteps. Looking up towards the ceiling, he thanked God that someone had come to rescue the receptionist before he'd taken his anger and frustration out on her.

"Can I help you with something?" The stranger asked, and Sam's blood ran cold, he span on the spot, mouth falling open as he gaped at the man in uniform before him.

"Dean?"

The man standing in front of him was an exact replica of his brother. In fact, Sam was certain it _had_ to be his brother. It had to be Dean. The same sandy brown hair, same startling hazel green eyes, he even sounded exactly like Dean. But the way he acted… it was as if he had no idea who Sam was, like he'd never seen him before in his life.

"I'm sorry?" The look-a-like asked, frowning.

Standing there, looking as if he'd just seen a clown, Sam coughed into his hand, trying to regain some composure. Something was extremely wrong. He knew without a doubt that the man standing before him was Dean but he also knew that if he acted on it, he'd probably be locked up in a loony bin. 'Invasion of the body snatchers' sparked up inside his mind, along with various other options such as skin walkers and shape shifters.

Well… that just screwed up this case even more.

"Sorry, you just look like someone I know." Sam lied, swallowing hard and pulling out his FBI badge, "Agent Williams, I'm looking for some help on finding a suspect. I think he may be in town."

"Officer Grey." The Dean look-a-like extended a hand but instead of taking the badge like Sam thought he would, he shook Sam's spare hand before clapping him on the back and walking past him, "If you come with me to my desk, I might be able to help."

"Officer Grey?" Sam questioned, immediately remembering what the doctors and nurses had said. Hell, this look-a-like even had a damn wedding ring on his finger, "Jonathan Grey?"

"Yeah, that's right…" Officer Grey answered, turning to look at the youngest Winchester as Sam followed him, "How'd you know?"

"Couple weeks ago I woke up in hospital… was told one of the local cops found me and dropped me off."

The officer clicked his fingers and smiled, "Knew I recognised you from somewhere. Add a bruise or two and a bit of blood… yeah… They told me it didn't look too serious. How you feeling now?"

"I'm just great, thanks." Sam replied; his mind barely able to comprehend that the man in front of him was Dean but at the same time… wasn't.

Grey took a seat behind his desk, indicating for Sam to take the seat in front, "What were you doing in that state anyway? You get mugged?"

"You know, I'm still not quite sure… kinda fuzzy." Sam shrugged, carrying on with the façade. Eyeing the man opposite him carefully and barely catching the glimpse of bronze around his neck as an amulet swung back and forth from the officer's body movement.

Dean's amulet…

So it wasn't just somebody replicating Dean's body then… whoever was inside there was what… _borrowing _it? What the hell?

"They spoke very highly of you at the hospital… the nurses especially." Sam slid a smirk onto his face and nodded towards the wedding ring on Grey's finger, "Said you were taken though."

Smiling fondly, Grey toyed with the ring for a moment, "Yeah, seven years now."

"Wow, seven years? You can't be much older than twenty-eight though… must have married young." Sam leaned forward, wondering if the man in front of him had any idea that he was being interrogated. But when the guy reached out for a photo frame on the desk and spun it around so Sam could see, pride glittering in his eyes, Sam's breath caught in his throat… the guy seemed completely genuine.

And so did the photo in front of Sam.

"I got a couple of kids out the deal, so it's all good." Grey joked, "Jacob's just turned three, and Morgan, she's six going on sixty, likes to pretend she's older than she is - right handful for Joanna."

"And Joanna's your wife?" Sam barely got the words out as he stared at the photograph. All four family members sat posed at what looked like a town picnic. All four… Grey included.

"Yeah." Grey turned the photo back around and looked up at Sam, face falling into a frown once again, "You feeling okay?"

No, he wasn't feeling okay. He felt like he was going to throw up and he was sure his face was beyond pale, "Err.. actually, my head feels a little light… there a bathroom around?"

"Yeah, just straight down there and to the left - you'll see the sign on the door." Grey stood and directed with his arm, "You want me to -"

"No no, I'll be fine." Sam interrupted, cutting Grey off before standing up and heading towards the small room, locking the door behind him.

Breathing heavily, he leaned against the door and allowed himself to slide down it until he was sitting on the floor and staring straight ahead.

"What the hell?" He whispered, mind flashing to the photo and the man behind the desk with Dean's body and Dean's amulet hanging around his neck, "What the freaking hell is going on?"

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	2. Like twisted vines that grow

.-.-. Memory Remains.-.-.-.

Summary:

For two weeks Sam hasn't seen or heard from Dean and his search is getting nowhere. Now he's filing a missing persons report in a small town with a cop who looks an awful lot like his big brother.

Disclaimer - The usual, don't own 'em, just love playing with them. :D

Set late season 2… warnings for bad language and the other typical things you can expect from a SPN fic.

Hey y'all! Update time! Really hope you're going to enjoy this little tale, thanks for the support so far ^_^

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Like twisted vines that grow

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Taking a deep breath, he pushed himself up and towards the small sink. He splashed some cold water onto his face and closed his eyes, focusing on forcing his lungs to inhale and exhale. Whatever was going on, he wasn't going to get to the bottom of it hiding in the police station's bathroom… With another couple of minutes to try and stop the shaking in his hands and to try and bring some colour back to his suddenly pale face, he left the room and headed back towards where Grey was sat.

"Feeling better?" The officer asked, standing up on Sam's approach.

"Yeah, a bit."

Grey hesitated for a moment, as if he didn't believe the young man, watching him carefully before clapping his hands together and putting on a smile, "Right… so back to business?"

Sam nodded, not trusting his voice at the moment. Retaking his seat, he leaned forward, eyes following Grey's movements. They were so Dean-like and yet at the same time, they weren't. If Sam had to choose the major difference and describe it, he would have said 'unguarded'. He'd seen the look plenty of times over the years, especially in the small town cops who rarely ever got any trouble and if he hadn't known any better, if he had just been some stranger… that's all the man in front of him was - a small town cop with a family.

"So this guy you're looking for, you got a photo?"

Sam nearly laughed at the idea. What the hell was he supposed to do? Show Grey a picture of himself? And it wasn't like the brothers made a habit of carrying photos around with them. They only ones they did have were part of their fake ID's and all of Dean's had disappeared along with him. There was the FBI database though… Would it be too risky? He swallowed hard before answering, deciding that maybe by showing the man a picture Sam could get some sort of clue about what was going on from his reaction, "We had him in custody once actually… so there's a couple of mug shots on the FBI database, probably the best quality that I'd be able to show you."

Grey laughed, relaxing back on his seat as he shook his head in slight amusement, "Sorry, it's not really funny. It's just we haven't been able to get connected to the system for a week now and the admin is on holiday. And I'm guessing you ain't got any hard copies with you?"

Sam could feel hysteria building up inside of him. It made sense that whatever was happening would stop him from accessing any information related to Dean. _Perfect… just perfect_. "No, nothing…" He sighed, hanging his head down and looking away from the man in front of him. He wanted to tell him, wanted to say to him 'if you wanna know what Dean looks like, look in a freaking mirror'.

"Looks like we're gonna have to do it the good old fashioned way then." Grey replied as he pulled the keyboard towards him and opened up the program he needed, "You're gonna have to give me a description."

"Well, that should be easy." Sam muttered, retrieving a questioning glance from Grey. "Photographic memory, I can see him as if he were standing right in front of me." He lied and Grey took the bait, nodding his head and returning his attention to the screen.

"Dean, Dean Winchester." He paused for moment, lifting his gaze once again to see if there was any reaction from the man in front of him, but if there had been, he'd either missed it or it was too well hidden, "But he uses aliases, not that you'd be surprised to hear that though… He's twenty eight years of age, approximately six foot, short light brown hair… kinda like yours. Eye colour, I swear they're green but my partner claims they're hazel-"

"Your partner?"

_Yeah, partner, brother…_ Sam thought suddenly unable to look Grey in the eye, "Yeah, he's checking out some different leads…"

"That makes sense…"

Giving Grey whatever other descriptions he could without being too obvious, he pulled a post it pad towards him and jotted his number down on the top sheet, "If you hear anything, or see anything, call me on that number - you know where I'm staying."

"You not planning on getting knocked out again are you?" Grey smiled, a slight sense of tease in his tone that made Sam's heart twist… so Dean-like.

"God I hope not…" He shook his head, pushing the pad back and standing up, "Anything at all, call me. Even it seems like a waste of time or completely insane. Keep your eyes open."

"Yessir!" Grey smiled as he stood, saluting playfully, "I'll call you straight away Agent Williams."

"Sam, call me Sam." The youngest Winchester told him, wanting more than anything to see some sign that told him either Dean was in there or that the thing that was using Dean's body recognised him. But when nothing presented itself, he gave one last nod and headed towards the door, pulling his cell phone out of his pocket as he went.

Bobby answered pretty quickly, but Sam wasn't surprised. After he'd called the elder hunter the previous week, Bobby had wanted updates on what Sam had found every so often. And this… this definitely deserved an update.

"How's it going Bobby?" Sam asked; loosening his tie with his free hand once he was out of the building.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that?"

Scoffing and leaning against the Impala, Sam looked up at the building in front of him, imagining what Officer Grey was doing inside. Was he watching him through one of the windows? Was he laughing at him? "I found him."

"Wait… what? You found him? …Then why the hell do you sound like someone just kicked your puppy?" Sam could hear the frown in Bobby's tone, could see it clearly in his mind's eye.

"It's… well, honestly - it's screwed to hell. It's so messed up I can't even make sense of it. It's him Bobby… but it's not." Closing his eyes, Sam paused and took a deep breath. He wasn't making sense. How was Bobby supposed to help him if he wasn't even making sense? "I've just spent the last half hour in the local cop shop with one of the officers. Officer Grey, freaking married with two kids! He even showed me pictures! But it was Dean… and I swear to God, this whole thing is making less sense by the second."

"Hoold up." Bobby called through the speaker, "Dean was who now?"

"The cop… Dean's the cop… the cop's Dean. And I don't know if something's just using Dean's body or what… but it's definitely him Bobby."

"Did you say anything to him? Does he know you know?"

"He thinks I'm with the FBI and I'm trying to find a suspect. I figured he'd try and lock me up if I started talking like a mad man."

"Keep it that way. Just play along for now and keep an eye on him. I'll be there as soon as I can. Just gotta finish up this salt 'n' burn then I'll hit the road."

"Thanks Bobby." Sam smiled, thankful that he wasn't going to be alone in whatever madness was going on, "I'll see you when you get here."

He closed the phone and threw it unceremoniously onto the passenger seat, on top of the missing person case files that sat there, as he climbed behind the wheel. His next move was decided for him as his stomach growled painfully, making him realise that he actually couldn't remember the last time he'd eaten. Remembering a small café he'd passed on the way to the station, he set off in that direction, pulling up neatly outside of it.

The place looked cosy and private enough for him to take his research in there without the worry of being disturbed. He grabbed the files and clambered out the car, choosing one of the window booths to sit in. He ordered a coffee and some fries when the waitress came, deciding it would be easier to just pick at food with one hand whilst skimming through the files with the other.

It wasn't long before he reached the folder that held the information of a Diana Roberts, most of his fries had disappeared at that point and his coffee was long since gone. Studying the photo and information carefully, he barely even heard the waitress approaching with the coffee pot.

"You want some more?" She asked, trying to catch his eye.

Looking up, Sam opened his mouth to reply, the words getting stuck somewhere in his throat. He glanced down at the photo once more before looking back at the waitress. They were one in the same, he was sure of it. Only the name tag that the waitress wore said Eva. He smiled and nodded, plastering the mask on, "Yeah thanks."

As she poured the drink, Sam watched her, glancing at her tag once again, "Is Eva your real name?"

Laughing, she finished pouring and looked at him, "Why of course it is silly boots. Why would ask that?"

"You just don't strike me as an Eva."

"Well that's just nonsense." She shook her head, her eyes still laughing brightly as she turned away and headed towards another customer.

First Dean, now this Diana… it was no coincidence. Sam bet that if he looked hard enough he'd find all the others hiding somewhere in the town as well. He just hoped that Bobby got there soon to help him figure it out…

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

It had been a long day by the time he got back, he was about ready to drop down onto his bed for an eternity of sleep but he knew he couldn't, not yet. He had responsibilities. Leaning against the back of the door, his face fell into a quizzical frown as he thought about the man at the station.

There was just something about the kid, he didn't seem like your average FBI agent… not that Grey could really remember ever really coming into contact with one. "Sam…" He whispered the name, bringing his hand up to his brow as he massaged it in attempt to get rid of the headache that was forming, "Sammy."

"Jonathan?" A female voice called through the hallway as a woman emerged at the end, dark chocolate coloured hair settling in waves around her face, "That you honey?"

Removing his hand from his brow, he smiled at his wife as she turned to him. He didn't have a chance to answer as the sound of smaller feet came rushing down the stairs and he found himself opening his arms to catch his petite blond haired daughter as she threw herself at him.

"Daddy!" She called, snuggling into his chest.

"Hey pumpkin, you been good for your Mom?" He asked as he brushed a stray strand from her face, smiling as she giggled at him.

Placing a hand on his shoulder, Joanna kissed him on the cheek before answering the question meant for Morgan, "It was touch and go for awhile, but in the end she convinced me not to send her back and get a refund."

"Mo-oom." Morgan rolled her eyes, pushing her pet lip out as she pouted but it soon vanished when Joanna ruffled her hair before heading back towards the kitchen.

Readjusting his grip on his daughter, Grey followed her, the headache already vanishing, as it if hadn't even been there in the first place. Why was he thinking about some kid in a suit when he had his family waiting for him at home anyway?

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	3. Deception never sold so well

.-.-. Memory Remains.-.-.-.

Summary:

For two weeks Sam hasn't seen or heard from Dean and his search is getting nowhere. Now he's filing a missing persons report in a small town with a cop who looks an awful lot like his big brother.

Disclaimer - The usual, don't own 'em, just love playing with them. :D

Set late season 2… warnings for bad language and the other typical things you can expect from a SPN fic.

Hey guys! First I just wanna say thanks for the awesome response to this story. I really hope you continue to enjoy it! Sorry about the delay in the update, last month was full of craziness. Thanks for sticking with me though, you guys are great.

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Deception never sold so well

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_"Maybe they're being sacrificed to a pagan god?" He suggested, snatching up the keys from the table and turning to look at the shaggy haired mess of a man._

_"Wrong town Dean." The man replied as he zipped up his dark brown hoodie and shoved his hands deep within pockets, raising an incredulous eyebrow._

_"I don't know Sammy; these guys get about quite a bit. Place like this would be perfect for one of them."_

_"Right, and I suppose the people in town are sacrificing these strangers for what… better coffee or wait, I've got it… to keep their lawns green and their kids in school?"_

_"Well the place is a little Stepfordy Sam."_

_The man shook his head and sighed deeply as he brushed past him and opened the door to world outside, "Happy families don't mean the place is 'Stepfordy'… just means they're happy."_

_"Suuure and demons don't kill people… whatever helps you sleep at night." He smiled at the aggravated grunt his sarcasm laced response earned, turning to grab the gun still sitting on the table before tucking it into the back of his jeans. But a light thud greeted his ears, grabbing his attention as he frowned, voice taking on a teasing tone, "You fall over or something Sam?"_

_The lack of reply forced his heart to beat faster and he span on the spot, staring at the empty doorway, "Sam!"_

_But as his eyes dropped to the ground, he could see a boot peering around the corner and panic spread throughout him, pushing him forwards. He made to drop to the ground next to the man, but a flash of silver caught his eye and he span just in time to deflect the object that was swung at him, the silver belonging to the pair of eyes that stared back at him from the darkness._

"Jonathan!"

The voice startled him awake, his body shooting up in bed as he stared straight ahead, trying to control his irregular breathing as his heart raced inside his chest. What the hell had that just been? A hand touched his bare arm and he flinched, the memory of the dream still leaving him anxious.

"Honey?" Joanna's voice questioned him lightly, her tone worried as she tried once more to place her hand on his arm.

The touch seemed to ground him this time and he turned to look at her, wrapping an arm around her midsection after a moment or two and drawing her in closer whilst bringing up his free hand up to caress her cheek gently in apology. He felt himself melting as she rested her head against his shoulder, the crease in her brow never leaving.

"You okay Johnny?"

"I'm fine." He uttered, eyes drifting off to stare into the darkness of the room as he let his head fall gently to rest on top of hers, "It was just a nightmare."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Sam sighed as he flipped open his phone one more time to reveal no missed calls or messages before dropping it on the table and spinning it round and round gently. He was tired of waiting for answers. He was tired of sitting in a dark motel room without Dean there to annoy the living daylights out of him and he was tired of pretending that he didn't know there was something strange going on in the town.

After he'd seen Diana at the café, he'd spent the rest of the time searching through other parts of the town for the other missing people in the files. There had been a 'Bert' working in the garage and a 'Suzie' working in the library, neither of which responded to the mention of their real names, as if their memories had been completely wiped and replaced with new ones.

Is that what had happened? Had someone or something picked these people out and just given them a completely new persona? Is that what they'd done to Dean?

"You definitely don't look like a Jonathan." He muttered to the half open laptop screen displaying an article on the local town hero. He hadn't been able to bring himself to read the article itself, the picture at the side distracting him too much; the bright and careless eyes of a Dean he never got to know staring back at him.

The phone buzzed, vibrating harshly on the table top and distracting him from his thoughts. He snapped it up; flipping it open without even thinking about it, hope littering his voice as he spoke, "Hello?"

"Heya kid, how you holding up?" Bobby's voice floated down the line, gruff and exhausted.

"Oh, I'm great. I'm slowly finding all the missing people so I must be doing something right, 'cept for the part where none of them know who they really are." He groaned, pushing himself up and out of the seat to wander over to the window. He pulled the curtain aside gently to stare out at the sky as the sun tried to drag itself up for the day, "I'm sorry Bobby, I'm just really frustrated and this whole thing is a mess."

"Well, I'm about half a day away if your directions are right and I'm telling you they better be 'cause if I find out you've made me take a wrong turn, it's the last time I listen to you or that brother of yours."

He shook his head lightly, a smile playing across his lips at the idle threat as his eyes drifted down from the sky to the lone figure standing across the road. It couldn't be… "Bobby… I'll call you back."

"What do you mean you'll call me back? Sam… what's going on?" The elder hunter demanded and Sam could practically hear his grip tightening on the phone.

"I wish I knew…" He answered honestly, eyes never leaving the figure as he dropped the phone from his ear and flipped it closed, heading towards the motel door just as the man began to turn away.

"Officer Grey!" He called out, throat tightening at the sight of the Dean look-a-like; the officer spinning around to acknowledge him, a look of uncertainty in his eyes, a look Sam knew so well.

"Agent Williams." Grey greeted him, a bright smile on his face but it was the type of smile that Sam was used to getting from Dean, one that suggested he was hiding something and yet he knew the man before him wasn't his brother, or at least not the Dean he knew. Or at least he thought he knew…

"Please… call me Sam." He smiled in return, trying to hide his suspicion as he studied the man, crossing the road to stand in front of him. Grey was dressed in plain clothes, no uniform or badge to indicate that he was an officer of the law and Sam raised his eyebrow in mock amusement, trying to cover the crease in his brow as his mind raced to try and figure just what was going on, "You not on duty today?"

Looking down at himself, Grey shook his head, a small chuckle escaping and a blush finding its way across his cheeks as if he had just been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "Er, yeah… not 'til later… just talking a walk."

"You walk 'round this end of town often?" He teased, or at least he hoped it came across as teasing and not as much like the interrogation question that Sam felt it was.

His frown deepened as he saw the Grey's eyes glancing passed him, features distant before he suddenly snapped back to Sam, shaking his head once more as if to clear his thoughts, "Sorry, what did you say?"

"Nothing… doesn't matter." Sam laughed, brushing off the question with narrowed eyes and putting it under the list marked 'figure out later'. Instead he turned to see what Grey had been looking at, his eyes landing on the sleek black Impala parked up outside the motel room.

"Is it yours?"

Unable to stop the small chortle, his lip hitched up in amusement as he answered, "My partner's."

"He's got good taste; she's a classic alright… '67 right? A-and I have no idea how I know that."

Sam felt his body tense as he turned back round to look at Grey. The man looked lost, almost confused as he clapped his hands together and rubbed them with what seemed like every intention of changing the subject and getting it away from him but Sam wasn't so keen to change course just yet, "You feeling okay there Officer Grey?"

"I'm fine." He said; trying to smile but Sam could see it didn't reach his eyes, hell, it barely even managed to stay on lips.

"You look a little pale, you sure you don't wanna come in and sit down?" _See the room, maybe even remember it…?_

"Nah, I better head back actually… Joanna mentioned something about cooking breakfast. She'll get mad if I let it get cold." He hitched a thumb over his shoulder as he spoke, already making the movements to leave.

Sam nodded; taking a step back and watching him go, unsure of what else to do. Was it even possible? He knew that people could lose their memories, but was it really possible for them to get replaced? Distractedly, he crossed the road back to the motel room and stopped outside to watch as Grey continued walking; only going inside when Sam could see him no more.

Dean was still in there. He was sure of it. And if that was true, that meant maybe he could get through to him, maybe he could make him remember who he really was.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

With his hands dug into the pockets of his jeans, he refused to look back as he headed back home. He had no idea why he'd gone out there in the first place. It was just a stupid dream; nothing more. He chewed at his lip in thought, eyes distant as his feet continued on their journey.

_Sam…_ He felt like he'd met him before, felt like he should know him. Ever since seeing him the day before… Maybe it was just something to do with when he'd found him the other day, lying bloodied and bruised… he'd looked so vulnerable and Grey couldn't help but feel that protectiveness inside him grow. But it didn't mean anything… His mind was just confusing him.

"Daddy!" A small voice called to him from up ahead as he rounded the corner of the street and he looked up to see Morgan running towards him, a smile on her face.

"Heya pumpkin." He said as he scooped her into his arms and carried her back to the house, "What you doing out here?"

"Waiting for you silly billy." She giggled as she spoke, snuggling into him, "I woke up and you weren't there."

"I'm here now aren't I?"

"Mmhmm." She mumbled, before taking a small breath, her tone sounding worried as she spoke, "You're not gonna leave are you Daddy?"

He frowned and looked down at her, pausing at the door. "Hey…hey," he said softly, trying to get her to look up at him and smiling when she did, "Why would you say that? I'm not going anywhere Morgan."

"You swear?"

"I swear."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

He didn't feel much like leaving the motel room most the morning; instead he watched the town going about its daily business from the window, wishing he knew just what the hell was going on. If he was right and all the missing people were mixed in with the rest of the town folk, all with new memories… what did that mean for everyone else? Were they missing people at one point too? Or were they something completely different?

Feeling uneasy, he turned away from the window and slumped down on his bed, glancing at the clock as he did so. Bobby should have been there by now. He said he was half a day away and when Bobby said that it usually meant at the most six hours and it had been eight since his phone call that morning. And with all the other freaky stuff going on in the town, Sam couldn't help but worry.

He dug his phone out from his pocket and flipped it open, hesitating for a moment before hitting the speed dial and holding it up to his ear. The longer that it rang, the more he feared for Bobby's safety until eventually it clicked and the elder hunter's annoyed voice echoed down the line.

"Yeah?" He grumbled and Sam flinched at the tone, almost feeling guilty for his impatience.

"Bobby, I was just ca-"

"Calling to give me better directions? 'Cause I gotta tell you kid, this town of yours is not where you said it would be."

"What are you talking about? You turned south after the river right?"

"Of course I did! But there's nothing but trees, trees and more damn trees. One huge mother of a forest and there's no way I can drive through that."

"Forest? You must have gone too far. We didn't even hit a forest." Sam sighed irritably, how was he meant to give directions to a place if they weren't going to be followed? "Head back the way you came and pick up a map, I'll try to direct you from that."

"Got one sitting on the seat right beside me and nowhere on the damn thing does it mention your town."

"That's not possible…"

"Well, apparently it is."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.


	4. There’s a hole where something was…

.-.-. Memory Remains.-.-.-.

Summary:

For two weeks Sam hasn't seen or heard from Dean and his search is getting nowhere. Now he's filing a missing persons report in a small town with a cop who looks an awful lot like his big brother.

Disclaimer - The usual, don't own 'em, just love playing with them. :D

Set late season 2… warnings for bad language and the other typical things you can expect from a SPN fic.

Hey! Update time! Thank you for reading, it means a lot that you're sticking with this little tale. So thanks so much. Anyway, I hope you enjoy :D

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

There's a hole where something was…

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Bobby sat staring out of the windscreen at the forest before him. This was messed up. If Sam was right, there was supposed to be a town right there but there wasn't even a road through the damn place. He tugged at the truck door and clambered out, walking up to the tree line and stepping over it, not sure what he expected to find.

Nothing happened, he didn't suddenly walk through an invisible barrier and into the missing town; he couldn't suddenly hear the sounds of local people as they moved around him, hidden by some mystical force. What did happen though was his phone beeped, warning him of a low signal.

Not daring to venture any further into the trees for fear of losing Sam on the phone, he jumped back and wandered over to the truck where he stalked back and forth, eyes staying on the trees in front of him.

"Sam, you gotta get Dean and you gotta get the hell out of Dodge. If this is what I think it is… only powerful magic can make a whole town disappear. So if you can get out, you need to."

"And what if I can't persuade Dean? I doubt he's gonna just willingly come with me and I can't just leave him… not when if I walk out of this place I might never find it again."

"You need to try. There's no telling what the creature that did this is up to…" He growled out in reply, grimacing for a moment as his foot sunk down into something slushy. Looking down, he lifted his foot and examined the mushroom looking thing beneath it before sliding his boot back and forth to wipe it off. "Listen Sam, I got an idea of what could be going on but I gotta check a few things out first. I just hope I can call you back if I find something."

"Be careful Bobby."

"Be careful? I'm not the one stuck in an invisible town with a hidden agenda."

"Then just try not to take too long to find out what you need." There was a slight smile to Sam's voice as it came across the line, a twinge of hope entwined with the words.

"Call me if you run into any trouble." Bobby replied as he nodded in thought and brought the phone away. He had to get to work, if this was what he thought it was - it definitely didn't mean good news.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Working quickly, Sam freshened himself up before packing everything up into the Impala. He wanted to be ready for when the time came to just make a run for it. Even if he had to knock his brother out in order to carry him to the car and out of town. Throwing his bag into the trunk though, he felt his stomach tighten into knots as he looked at the empty space where Dean's bags should have been, the space serving to remind him just how difficult a task he was facing.

He left the Impala where it was when he went off in search of Dean, making sure to take his fake FBI badge with him. You could never be sure when you might need to use it, sure he'd convinced Grey that he was an agent but if one of the other officers wanted to see the badge, he had to make sure he had it on him.

"What the hell am I supposed to do?" He asked himself as he shoved his hands into his pockets of his hoodie and stalked down the street in the direction of the police station. He could imagine going up to Grey and spilling the whole truth, telling him who he really was and that they needed to get out quickly - but then, he could also imagine Grey calling him crazy and locking him up in one of the cells.

Right, so he couldn't just do that then. He needed to play it smart. Maybe trick Grey into accompanying him out of town. That could work better, and maybe when they got out of town, his memories would come back and then they could meet up with Bobby and defeat the damn creature doing this. Yeah, that sounded like a much better plan.

If they could get out of town that was…

He came to a halt near the open town park, his eyes landing on Grey and his daughter at the other side as they walked hand in hand. He was dressed like an officer of the law again, holding a small pink backpack in the other hand. Sam's heart twisted as he watched, the smile on Grey's face taking his breath away as he couldn't help but think just how much his brother suited being a father.

Dean rarely ever said anything, rarely ever let on what his true dreams were but slowly ever since Jess had died and they were road-tripping together, Sam noticed. And then the thing with the Djinn and Sam suspected even more. After all, the whole time they were growing up, Dean had been more of a father to Sam than their actual father. Sure John tried and he did an okay job but his mind was consumed with hunting and Dean… Dean willingly took up the position, doing it without even thinking. He may have laughed about happy families and picket white fences in the past, but Sam's throat clenched to see that maybe… maybe that was where Dean really belonged.

And maybe this whole thing was a chance for him to have that, without having to worry about demons and things that go bump in the night. It was like a fresh start for him and he fit right in, which at first surprised Sam but he knew deep down inside that there was a softer side to Dean, a more vulnerable side that his big brother always hid away.

"Stop it! Leave me alone!" A voice called out, breaking Sam from his thoughts and he turned to look at the man causing a small commotion in the middle of the park.

"Jim, please. Settle down. Whatever's going on with you, we can figure it out… we'll get you help. Doctor Stone will help you." A woman pleaded with him, trying to grab the man's arm but he pulled away and walked further away from her.

From the corner of his eye, Sam could see Grey handing the back pack to his daughter and telling her, presumably, to stay where she was as he moved off towards the man. Following his lead, Sam moved in closer, curiosity getting the better of him as the man's next words made him realise that this wasn't some random tiff.

"My name is not Jim! I am not your husband! You're crazy! Leave me the hell alone! All of you! Back the hell off!"

"Can I help you sir?" Grey asked as he neared the man and Sam watched carefully, watching the tension in Grey's shoulders as he shifted into what Sam could only think of as Hunter mode.

The man's eyes dropped to the badge on Grey's chest and he shook his head, backing away and almost into Sam, "No… you're one of them. You're another goddamn alien."

"I swear; I only want to help." Grey tried to reason, holding his hands out to show he meant to harm, "Mr…?"

"Stanley. My name is Stanley… not _Jim_."

"Stanley." Grey repeated the name and Sam saw how he made sure to keep eye contact, "And what's the matter Stanley?"

"I don't belong here." Stanley answered, his voice low, "But they won't let me go. They keep telling me my name is Jim! They're crazy!"

"Okay then…" Grey swallowed hard, his mind seeming to mull over what his options were and he moved in closer, reaching out to grab the now still man's arm, "How about we head down the station and try to figure this out?"

But Stanley moved too quickly, taking a step backwards as he pulled out a gun and aimed it at Grey's forehead. Sam could feel his heart speeding up as his mind struggled to stay clear, the threat to his brother's life nearly making him do something stupid… but he couldn't risk it, couldn't risk Dean.

"Back the hell off! You're just like everybody else! Freaking aliens… you're trying to take over our minds. But I won't let you take _me_! I won't become one of you!"

Sam had to move, he had to do something. Walking slowly towards the man, he pulled the fake badge from his pocket and held it up for the man to see, making sure to shift so he was in front of Grey, quickly sending him a glance to let him know that he had a plan.

"Stanley, that's your name right?" Sam asked, following as the man backed up even more before finally he could back up no more, a tree stopping his movements.

The man nodded and Sam tried for a small smile, his heart still thumping madly in his chest.

"My name's Sam, I'm with the FBI. You know what that means right?" He lowered his head slightly to give the man an imploring look, begging him to hear the slight conspiratory tone in his voice.

"You mean like Mulder?"

Sam smiled for real that time, almost relieved at the question, "Yeah, _exactly_ like him."

"You've got to listen to me - we have to get out of here." The man started, dropping his hand so the gun was no longer aimed at anyone, he took a small pleading step towards Sam before carrying on, his voice an almost whisper, "This town… everyone… it's messed up. We have to get out…"

"We will." Sam answered, chancing a glance behind him to make sure he was out of earshot, "But we need to fix it first. My partner… he's been turned into one of them so I'm gonna need your help. You understand?" He waited for the man to nod again before continuing, his voice urgent and commanding, "I need you to stop acting crazy - play along, and I promise we'll figure this out."

But the man's hand started to rise again and Sam felt his chest tighten. Didn't the guy understand that he _knew_ something was going on, that this place wasn't normal? Instead of aiming the gun at Sam though, the nozzle turned so that it was rested against Stanley's own forehead and Sam frowned at the confusion and fear written in the man's eyes.

"No… stop it. I swear, I'm telling the truth." He hissed lowly, shaking him head as he pleaded with the man.

"I… my hand… I can't…" Stanley whimpered, his voice shaking as tears forced their way out of his eyes and down his cheeks. He wasn't in control… he couldn't be… "Help me…"

Diving forwards, he tried to grab the gun from the man or at least knock it away but the bang echoed loudly in his ears as he failed to reach the man in time. Instead, he ended up staring at the blood stained tree as the man slid down to the ground, eyes empty and as dead as the rest of him, blood pooling around his head to stain the once green grass.

And Sam's heart refused to slow down, bile rising in his throat. No, this wasn't right… whatever was doing all this, it had to be stopped. But how were you supposed to stop something with so much power? He turned on the spot slowly to look at Grey's pale features, his eyes dropping momentarily to Morgan as she walked up behind her Dad, face seeming stony for a moment.

"Daddy?" She called out softly, voice thick and eyes full of unshed tears and Sam blinked at the sudden emotion she was showing.

Grey spun around to face her, dropping down to his knees as he pulled her in close to his chest so she couldn't see the dead and bloody body of Stanley, "Don't look Morgan… don't look."

So maybe this place was just as evil as Sam had originally thought and now that he knew the creature had more power than he had imagined, it was going to be even harder to get Dean and get the hell out.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.


	5. Nobody wants to hear you sing about trag

.-.-. Memory Remains.-.-.-.

Summary:

For two weeks Sam hasn't seen or heard from Dean and his search is getting nowhere. Now he's filing a missing persons report in a small town with a cop who looks an awful lot like his big brother.

Disclaimer - The usual, don't own 'em, just love playing with them. :D

Set late season 2… warnings for bad language and the other typical things you can expect from a SPN fic.

An update? So soon? Don't ask... I have no idea what possessed me, he he but hopefully you'll enjoy. Shows my priorities - that I've been spending my evening working on this rather than my assignments for university. Eeek. Anyway - as for the title of the chapter... am I currently obsessed with the new fall out boy cd, why yes... yes I am. Enjoy!

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Nobody wants to hear you sing about tragedy

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Sam swallowed hard as he watched the man before him stroke his daughter's hair whilst keeping her close to his chest, whispering comforting words into her ear. She however remained silent. Glancing behind him momentarily at the body, he took in the movements of the others in the park, most shocked but slightly curious, except for the woman that the man had been arguing with. She sat on the ground where Sam guessed she had fallen down, someone holding her tightly as she sobbed uncontrollably.

"We need to clear the scene," he mumbled under his breath, turning back to Grey and his daughter to repeat his words but this time louder.

Grey nodded lightly and brought his daughter away from him, making sure the whole time that she was unable to see passed him and to the body. "I need you to do something for me," he whispered gently, cupping her chin and making sure his eyes were level with hers, "I need you go home, Daddy has some business to take care of then I'll be back as soon as I can. You understand?"

"But…" Morgan protested lightly but Grey shook his head and she nodded numbly in defeat, "Okay."

"No pit stops, just head straight home and tell your mom I'll explain when I get there." He turned her around on the spot and pointed her in the direction she needed to go, his eyes never leaving her as she moved off.

"You wanna go with her?" Sam asked, watching the worried man before him and feeling his throat tighten at the sight.

"No, she'll be okay. I'm needed here." Though the words themselves suggested no hesitation, Sam could see the tension in Grey's shoulders that gave away the fact that he'd rather be walking his daughter back. Instead though, the officer pulled the radio from his belt and spun back to look at the dead body. "All available officers to the park… we need- just get down here a-sap."

By the time the other officers got there, Grey had placed his jacket over the head and torso of Stanley so no onlookers could see. Sam mainly lurked as he watched him tell everyone to get on with their business before wandering over to the sobbing woman to comfort her. He was still there when the first officers showed up and Sam noted his reluctance to leave the mourning woman to fill the others in. A regular humanitarian… helping the helpless even if it meant just sparing a kind word.

He had to admit, it was weird to be on this side of the fence as the tape was set up and the procedures went on. That many officials swarming around him, brainwashed or not, it made him nervous so he was thankful when Grey suggested they head down to the station and sort out the paper work, statements and all that jazz.

It wasn't long before he was shifting uncomfortably in his seat as he signed the statement he'd written out. He passed it to Grey, watching as the officer slid it into a file along with his. He had to know something was going on, he had to have realised it by now but by the way he was going on, the way he was acting, Sam wasn't so sure that Grey _had_ noticed.

"Was pretty weird what happened back there, wasn't it?" He asked after a breath, sitting back in his sit, his eyes never leaving Grey.

Grey tugged at his bottom lip with his teeth for a moment in thought before answering, his hands stilling as his eyes dropped to the folder that sat in them, "I'll admit that what happened was strange."

"If you ask me, this whole place is kind of freaky." Sam went on as if Grey hadn't even spoken, letting his eyes wander to study the room in a way that suggested unease before returning to Grey to see his reaction.

"That was just a one time thing." Grey defended, placing the folder neatly on his desk, "Nothing like that has ever happened before."

"And Jim, Stanley… whatever his name was - did he have a history of that type of stuff?"

"What are you trying to say?"

Sam took a deep breath, leaning forward in his seat for a moment. He could tell that Grey was on edge, his hazel orbs narrowed at him in suspicion but Sam couldn't stop now, if he did, he'd never get up the courage to try again. "What if… what if he was telling the truth?"

"I've known Jim my whole life, so what - would that make me part of his little conspiracy? Is that what you're trying to say?"

He turned away briefly before looking up at Grey once more, eyes imploring him to give Sam a sign that he had his doubts about this place, that he had his doubts about the life he was living and the role he was playing. "No, but what if you're just like him - brainwashed into believing you're someone else?"

Grey took a step back from the desk, shaking his head as he eyed Sam. It was something Sam had seen happen plenty of times before though never on Dean. It was a string of movements that he linked with 'civilians', disbelief, denial… "Who the hell are you?"

A sardonic smile snaked it's way across Sam's lips as he stood up but made no attempt to move towards Grey or even away from him, "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"And you're saying that you believe _aliens_ are what, controlling our minds? Jesus, you're crazy!" Grey lowered his head, his voice hushed as his eyes checked to see if anyone else in the station had heard their conversation but judging by his actions, none of them had noticed.

"I didn't say anything about aliens. I'm just saying that maybe not everything Stanley said was crazy."

"And you're basing this on the fact that some guy you don't even know decided to off himself in front of you?"

"No," Sam managed to ground out, his palms flat against the desk as he looked at the man before him levelly, "I'm basing this on the fact that my brother currently thinks he's someone else and doesn't even recognise me anymore."

It took a moment for the words to sink in; silence falling between them until eventually Grey spoke up, breaking it. "You're not FBI are you?"

"No more than your name is Jonathan Grey. And I could prove it to you but conveniently enough you can't access the fed's database."

"Convenient for you."

"And how about the car? You knew exactly what year it was and you had no idea why."

"That doesn't mean a thing."

Sam opened his mouth to speak, swallowing the words that sat at the tip of his tongue before closing it and thinking for a second, choosing his next words carefully, "Means a whole lot more than you'll admit."

Grey straightened; his body tense as a familiar wall shot up behind his eyes. He nodded for a moment, seeming to come to a decision. "Look, I think it's best if you leave before I have to arrest you. Just go back to your motel room, pack up your things and leave."

"I'll walk out that door but I ain't leaving this town… I ain't leaving my brother behind. If you want to lock me up, lock me up but you know, deep down inside that you don't belong here. That wife of yours isn't really your wife, those kids, aren't your kids… and as soon as you realise that - you'll be glad I stayed."

"Leave. Now." Grey all but growled at him, his stare so cold that Sam could feel it on him all the way to the door.

He felt like he couldn't breathe, his head spinning as his legs threatened to give way any moment. He couldn't help but feel he'd made a mistake in telling Grey the truth. Now he'd have no chance in getting close enough to even knock him out or drag him kicking and screaming from the town. He just hoped that whatever was brainwashing the people in this town gave him enough time to get his brother out… it was only a matter of time before they realised just how big a threat he was gonna be to its 'peaceful' little community.

Digging his hand into his pocket, he yanked out his cell and flipped it open, immediately making to call Bobby. It didn't take long for the elder hunter to answer, and when he did, he sounded thankful to hear Sam's voice.

"Phones still work then?" He answered and Sam could hear the light ruffle of papers in the background.

"Don't know for how much longer. This is getting serious Bobby - some guy just 'woke up' or something, remembered who he really was and… this thing, whatever's doing this made him kill himself." He swallowed hard, closing his eyes briefly before forcing them open again, hoping to rid himself of the image of Stanley.

"Doesn't surprise me…" Bobby sighed into the phone, "Fairies would do anything to stop someone from shattering their illusions."

"Fairies?" Sam laughed dryly, "This is no time for jokes Bobby - I just watched some guy unwilling commit suicide right in front of me."

"I ain't joking kid. I'm serious. Fairies, the Fae… it was only a thought until I saw the damn mushrooms." Bobby continued and Sam could imagine him shaking his head as he shifted through the papers and books in front of him, "They aren't the tricky little pixies we normally think of. Forget about Tinkerbell and fairy dust, we're talking ruthless creatures. They have a history for stealing people away, especially babies… why they'd make a town full of stolen people is beyond me but it seems like something they'd do."

"You really are serious…"

"Deadly. I got stuff here dating back to King Arthur and even some snippets of stuff from before then. And judging by the size of this thing, the power needed to do something like this - whoever is running this show, they're probably even more powerful than Morgan le Fay."

"Say that again…"

"Jesus kid! Wash your ears out next time, I ain't repeating myself."

"No, you said Morgan. Morgan le Fay… who is that?"

"Morgan le Fay? She's one of the oldest most powerful of the Fae."

"Damn it." Sam cursed, stopping in his tracks and glancing back the way he had come. Morgan… the kid… she was the one doing this? It couldn't be possible. She was just a little kid - one that had Dean right in her grasp. How the hell was he supposed to get anywhere near his brother when she was right there watching him - like she had been with the guy in the park?

"She's got Dean, Bobby… she's got him."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

He felt oddly empty his whole walk home. Sam's words echoed around his head no matter how much he tried to push them aside. The guy was crazy; he'd probably escaped from some insane asylum and hitched a ride into town.

It made sense, explained why he had been so beaten up… and the FBI badge, he could have stolen that from someone who had been out looking for him. If it was even real to begin with. And Grey had 'saved' him, dropping him off at the hospital - so it made sense that the guy would have some weird attachment to him. But it was creepy as hell…

He shook his head, forcing the thoughts into the back of his head as he gripped the handle to his home and pushed the door open. He was immediately greeted by Morgan who rose from the bottom step of the stairs and wrapped her small arms as far as they would go around his midsection.

Her face was stained red, suggesting she had been crying and he knelt down, giving her a quick cuddle before prying her away from him. It was late and she should have been in bed, she was already dressed in bright pink PJ's, her fluffy slippers abandoned on the stairs for favour of bare feet.

"Go on up to bed." He told her, stroking her soft hair, "I'll be up in a moment to tuck you in, just gotta speak to your Mom first."

"But I'm afraid Daddy…" She whispered so quietly that he nearly missed it.

He tried to smile at her, wanting to tell her that there was nothing to be afraid of but fearing that to do so would be lying. Familiar words ran through his head, like a long forgotten memory surfacing momentarily in the shadows.

_"Don't be afraid of the dark? Are you kidding me? Of course you should be afraid of the dark. You know what's out there."_

He swallowed thickly, pushing the words away. "What are you afraid of sweetie?"

"The tall man… from the park. He's gonna get me Dad." Her eyes filled up with tears as she spoke, one or two spilling over and onto her cheeks as her bottom lip trembled, "He's gonna come for me Dad."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.


	6. In the fading light

.-.-. Memory Remains.-.-.-.

Summary:

For two weeks Sam hasn't seen or heard from Dean and his search is getting nowhere. Now he's filing a missing persons report in a small town with a cop who looks an awful lot like his big brother.

Disclaimer - The usual, don't own 'em, just love playing with them. :D

Set late season 2… warnings for bad language and the other typical things you can expect from a SPN fic.

Hey! First of all, thank you to everyone who's been reading this and thank you for the awesome response this fic has received, it means so much to me. This chapter is a belated birthday present for Amanda (cooldudet) at the sntv forums. Thank you all for reading so far, I hope you enjoy.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

In the fading light…

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"Morgan le Fay? Jesus Sam… you Winchesters seriously don't do it by halves, d'ya? You can't just pick any Fae to get tangled up with; you gotta choose the baddest of the bunch…" Bobby growled down the line and Sam could hear the frustration in his voice, the unspoken words telling of the fear that the elder hunter felt for both him and Dean.

Scrubbing a hand through his hair, Sam leaned against the metal railing beside him and stared at the ground, "So how do I kill her Bobby?"

"Kill? Morgan le Fay? I don't know if that's even possible. I'm still working on the 'to kill a normal faerie' part…"

"Well I need something Bobby, some sort of protection…"

"Ahh, about that - I got good news and I got bad news."

He took a breath and nodded his head, his heart thrumming lightly in his chest as he raised his eyes and noticed the streetlights starting to flicker on down the road. "So what's the good news?"

"I've found a few ways to ward off faeries."

"And the bad news?"

Bobby hesitated in answering, the silence unnerving Sam as he waited for the words to come. "I have no idea how you're gonna get 'em. I mean, you'll have yerself some crosses and I'm sure Dean'll have some iron in the trunk but four leaf clovers, horseshoes… unless you got access to some sorta postal service and an ebay account - I don't see you getting 'em any time soon."

"Great… just great. Well crosses and iron will have to do for now then won't it?"

"Unless you can get your hand on some sorta bell…" Bobby half joked, but the false humour faded to be replaced with a more sombre tone, a sadness etched into Bobby's voice that told Sam he felt useless and hated it, "I'm sorry Sam, I'm still searching but the Fae - they're good at keeping things secret."

"A bell?" Sam frowned, his free hand gripping the railing behind him as he turned to face the old abandoned building that stood just beyond, his eyes raising up to the tower, "Why a bell?"

"Faeries hate the sound of bells, can't stand it. From what I understand, it's pretty painful."

"So the bigger the bell the better?" He asked distractedly, a small smile of hope creeping across his face as he looked at the broken sign that half stood and half slipped into the ground before the building, a sign that indicated the place had once been a church and judging by the style and the tower, it was one that hopefully had a bell inside.

"Sam, what's going on?"

"I may have found a bell."

"What do you mean 'may have'?"

Moving towards the gap in the railings, Sam kept his eyes focused on the tower, "There's a church; doesn't look like it's been used in years but maybe I'll get lucky."

Bobby scoffed and Sam could hear him shifting about, a dry humour to his tone, "Luck and Winchesters? That'll be the day."

"We'll soon find out." Sam sighed; heading up to the double doors that he just knew would be locked. "I'll call you back when I find out."

"Be careful Sam."

"I will."

And the called was ended there, Sam hanging up before Bobby could say anything else. His mind now on the task at hand, he pocketed his phone and reached out for the door handle, grasping the cold metal and giving it a turn. But like he suspected, it didn't budge. _Typical_. Circling the building didn't help much either, the back entrance locked tight and probably bolted from the inside. But he knew he needed to get in, preferably without drawing any attention to himself - so that meant no breaking any windows.

His mind wandered to the lock-pick in his bag back at the motel. Hesitating for a moment, he chewed his bottom lip in thought. But what was another half hour if it meant he could get inside discreetly? And hopefully it would be worth it. He nodded and backed away, his strides lengthening as he headed back towards the room.

The sky was a deep blue, the stars hidden by the light pollution of the streetlamps, not that Sam felt much like star gazing. Instead of the night sky, his eyes searched his surroundings; ever watchful for the dangers that he knew could lurk there, wandering over the empty playground of swings and roundabouts and over to the shops that lined the opposite side of the street.

It wasn't until he'd made it nearly completely passed the playground that he heard the faint whine of metal on metal. His body tensed, hunter instincts kicking in as he turned his head slowly to peer through a gap in the bushes beside him, his gaze landing on one of the playground swings as it moved back and forth by itself.

With the stealth of a cat hunting its prey, he wandered back towards the entrance to look at the empty seat, his heartbeat speeding up and his throat constricting as he found it was no longer empty. So maybe he was more prey than predator, he had to wonder as his eyes locked on Morgan swinging gently without a care in the world.

"Hello." He said simply, walking into the park but stopping just passed the entrance. He watched her carefully, not willing to let on that he knew exactly who she was…. Not yet.

"You can't have him."

Four simple words, that's all she said. But it was enough to make Sam stiffen. Her eyes landed on him, seeming to sparkle in the dim light as she looked as innocent as ever. He didn't speak, he couldn't… he didn't even bother to ask what she meant because she'd made it obvious enough.

"If you knew what was good for you, you'd leave this place." She went on, smiling at him as her swing came to a stop and she tilted her head to the side.

"Not without my brother."

"Dean is mine now. There's nothing you can do about that."

His lips rose into a half scowl half smirk, the intent flashing brightly in his eyes, "I can _kill_ you."

Her smile widened in response, obviously amused by his threat. "You could try. But you're forgetting something."

"Oh yeah? And what's that?"

"Dean would do anything for the ones he loves and right now, I just happen to be included in that."

The words hit him hard and he swallowed the thick lump in his throat. The thought scared him because he was sure that no matter who his brother thought he was, the instincts would still be there, the will to give his life up for another and the pure unadulterated love that he offered to those he cared deeply about, asking nothing in return. "He'll wake up; he'll remember who he really is."

"I hope not, he's really growing on me you see. You saw what happened to Stanley, so you better _pray_ he doesn't."

Before he could say another word though, the wind whipped up around him; howling through the trees and causing several fallen leaves to dance on the current. The sound of the roundabout creaking dangerously as it began to move caught his attention and he turned to look at it as it spun faster and faster, threatening to break apart until finally it stopped, the wind dying too. He wasn't surprised to find Morgan gone when he looked back, but it didn't stop him from cursing out loud.

"Cheap tricks only get you so far." He whispered, a slight growl to his voice and he span on the spot, determined more than ever to get into that church.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Grey's hands were still shaking a couple of hours later after tucking Morgan up in bed and telling her that everything was gonna be okay, he wasn't going to let anyone hurt her. He found himself in the garage, going through several piles of clutter and mounds of old cardboard boxes in an attempt to occupy his thoughts, but they kept going back to Sam, or whatever his name was.

What did Morgan mean? Why would she think the guy was going to go after her? Why would she think he'd hurt her? Then again, after his last conversation with the man, he wasn't sure about just how stable the guy was mentally.

He sighed and rubbed his face with his hands, jumping slightly as Joanna draped one arm around his neck from behind and kissed his cheek. He could see the worried frown on her face and he tried his best to smile at her as she handed him a mug of steamy coffee.

"You sure you're okay?" She asked, her head resting gently against his upper arm.

"Yeah, I'm fine… just need to get my head around a few things."

"Is this about what happened with Jim? You know you couldn't have done anything, you didn't know…" She bit her lip as she looked into his eyes, pleading with him.

He lifted his arm and wrapped it around her shoulders, bringing her in close for a tight embrace, "I know that… I just… I don't know; I just don't understand why he did it."

"No one really knows what was going through his mind when he did it, and that's probably for the best. What's done is done."

He knew she was right, but still, it didn't feel right. Gently, he kissed her forehead and studied her, noting the goosebumps that littered her skin. "You're cold."

It was an obvious observation but it brought a smile to her face, a slight laugh echoing from her lips and she snuggled in a little closer to him, "Yeah, a bit."

"It'd be warmer in bed." It was his subtle way of telling her that she should be asleep instead of worrying about him, and by the way she closed her eyes momentarily, shaking her head with a slight smile, he knew she'd caught it.

"I'd be warmer still if my husband was there with me."

His eyes wandered around to the boxes he had just started sorting through and he let out a breath. He wasn't ready to sleep yet, his mind still too busy. "I think I'll finish up here first."

"Okay," She relented, pulling away and wrapping her silk dressing gown a little tighter around her slim frame in attempt to keep some of her warmth, "Just don't stay up too late."

"I won't." He nodded in agreement, gripping her hand and giving it a comforting squeeze before she could leave. "I love you." But Grey said the words in a way that said he needed her to know that and he needed to know she felt the same because the love was real, right? There was something there between them, something that couldn't have just been sparked by some mystical force like Sam had claimed.

"I love you too." She smiled; her eyes soft as she moved away and back into the house.

He listened for a moment until her footsteps were all but silent, and placing the coffee on the workbench beside him, he turned to the box he'd been about to dig into before Joanna had come. The tape came away easy and he opened the flaps, hazel orbs landing on an old worn leather jacket.

He pulled it from the box, brows creasing as he studied it. He knew it wasn't his, and yet it felt familiar. The smell seemed like some distant memory; or maybe something from a dream. And yet he couldn't place it, couldn't explain why the jacket made him feel safe or why it made him smile to look at it or made him think of a man with dark brown hair and stubble on his face.

It wasn't the only thing in the box either. There were other clothes, none of them his but all of them familiar as if he should have known exactly who's they were. He dug his hands into the box, a frown crossing his features as his fingers touched metal, wrapping around the object hidden beneath the clothes. He pulled it out, the gun fitting into his hand as if it were meant for him.

_"That's it son, nice and steady."_

_"Like this?"_

_"Yeah, just like that. Now aim it and pull the trigger…"_

He shook the echoed words from his head, a memory of a father and son that he didn't know. Curiosity sparked, with trembling hands Grey placed the gun on the workbench beside the mug and turned his attention back to the box. He gripped the bottom and turned it upside down, watching as the contents floated down to the ground.

It was nothing more than a simple mound of clothes with what looked like credit cards mixed in. He bent down and picked up the one on top of the pile, stiffening as he saw the name 'Samuel Cole'. It wasn't the only name in the mix though, a 'Kris Warren' and 'Nick Ford' also thrown in for good measures amongst others.

The thing that really caught his attention though was a small black leather wallet with a small golden 'W' on it. The letter was coming away and the covering was scuffed but still it must have meant something to someone somewhere… He tugged at the catch, flipping it open to reveal an old driving licence with a picture of young man with sandy brown hair and a smart-alec grin that could rival the Cheshire cat's.

"Dean Winchester…" He whispered the name written on it, his heart slamming against his ribcage painfully as he did so.

_"Happy families don't mean the place is 'Stepfordy', just means they're happy."_

_"Suuure and demons don't kill people… whatever helps you sleep at night."_

Using the workbench as an aid, he pulled himself to his feet, still holding the card in his free hand as the words echoed in the back of his head. No, it wasn't right. Closing his eyes tight, he could see the motel room, could hear the crash behind him and could feel the panic filling him.

_"You fall over something Sam?"_

_…_

_"Sam!"_

"Sam…" There were tears in his eyes, threatening to spill over as the emotion gripped him and his chest ached. The blood was pounding so loudly in his ears that Dean didn't even hear the door opening behind him, didn't realise anybody was there until the voice spoke up.

"Daddy?"

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.


	7. Fall into you…

.-.-. Memory Remains.-.-.-.

Summary:

For two weeks Sam hasn't seen or heard from Dean and his search is getting nowhere. Now he's filing a missing persons report in a small town with a cop who looks an awful lot like his big brother.

Disclaimer - The usual, don't own 'em, just love playing with them. :D

Set late season 2… warnings for bad language and the other typical things you can expect from a SPN fic.

It's official... I'm ill again. You've just got to love Winter. I'll tell you one thing for sure, which ever sick person gave me this damn cold is gonna pay... BIG time. Anyway, finally got all my assignments out the way (for now, come April and there'll be a bunch more)... so I'm finally getting time to do stuff again! Woo! Including writing - hence the reason I'm updating. Thank you to everyone for reading! It means a lot. And thank you for the wonderful reviews - they are so much encouragement and again, mean a lot. Hope you enjoy this one!

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Fall into you…

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Spinning on the spot, he looked at the girl in front of him, words tumbling from his lips before he had a chance to even think about them, let alone stop them. "Morgan honey, what are you doing down here?"

He watched her with cautious eyes, his heart still hammering hard inside his chest, breathing still uneasy. The clothes and cards lying momentarily forgotten, he winced as pain sliced through his skull, a headache forming just behind his eyes from two worlds of information colliding; each wanting his full undivided attention.

"I had a bad dream." She replied softly, an added sniffle that, when combined with her red cheeks and puffy eyes, showed her to have been crying. It took him mere seconds to reach her and scoop her up into his arms, the pain in his skull fading as he did so.

"It's okay, I'm right here." He smiled at her in reply.

"But you weren't!" She bawled, the tears suddenly flowing freely as her breath hitched in her chest, "You left us. In my dream, you left me and mom and Jacob. You didn't even say goodbye!"

"Shhhh." He whispered, cradling her as he stroked her hair gently, his heart clenching as he struggled to swallow the lump forming in his throat. "I'm not going anywhere, I swear."

She was sobbing uncontrollably, her tears now soaking through the shirt that her small fingers worked their way into, gripping it tightly as if she were afraid to let go. He kissed the top of her head and brushed away a strand of hair so he could see her face better, trying to capture her eyes with his own but stubbornly they remained tightly closed, tears still seeping from their edges.

"Come on Morgan, I'm right here. This is me we're talking about. When have I ever lied to you?"

Easing only a little, her eyes cracked open and her trembling lips formed a saddened pout. "You promise Daddy? You promise you won't leave me?"

"'Course I do sweetie." He smiled sadly at her, his eyes imploring, "Now let's get you back up to bed. No more of this silly talk about me leaving."

She nodded slowly, her arms wrapping around his neck so he could carry her easily. She laid her head against his shoulder, letting her eyes fall closed as her sobs all but ceased. "Will you stay with me 'til I fall asleep?"

Pushing the door at the top of the stairs open with his foot, he sifted through and made his way towards the main stairs. "So long as Mr Snuggle-bunny doesn't hog the bed."

"He's a bear Da-addy."

"That's what I said, isn't it?"

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

By the time Sam made his way back to the church, the streets were near enough completely empty. It made it easier getting into the church, but it didn't make him cringe any less at the sound of the large wooden doors opening. Looking into the church, where he expected rows and rows of pews, he found a wide empty space. Granted, there was dust and plenty of it, and it looked like any pews that did remain were stacked up against the walls instead of where they were supposed to be.

It took him a good while to find the staircase leading up to the tower, the doorway having been blocked by a variety of broken and now useless items. But once he was up there, it didn't take nearly half as long to locate the large ornate bell. It would have been good news if it wasn't lying on the floor to the side instead of sitting midair, supported by its holder.

Looking up, he studied the holder and curse he cursed. It would be a two man job getting the bell into a position that meant it could be rang.

"Could really use your help about now Dean." He muttered, dropping to his haunches next to the bell and running a hand along the dusty surface. "Here's a question though," he thought out loud, his brows knitting together, "If faeries hate the sound of bells so much, why create a town with a church and a church bell? Unless…" _She didn't create the town in the first place…_

It didn't matter either way. If she didn't create it then that just meant the bitch was working some major mojo in order to keep it hidden from the outside world and off the maps. An idle part of his mind wondered if it was hidden from the wonders of modern day technology and satellites as well but that part of his brain quickly returned to the task at hand when he heard noises from the downstairs, his whole body suddenly tensing.

"Damn it… so much for being stealthy."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Morgan had slipped off pretty quickly into dreamland, that part was easy. The hard part was trying to get away without waking her. Her head was nestled against his chest, one arm draped over. Carefully, he reached over her and grabbed a pillow from the head of the bed, slowly easing it into her embrace so he could make a quick exit.

He promised her he wouldn't leave, promised her he wasn't going anywhere but he needed answers and the only way he could get them would be if he went out in search of them. At the doorway, he glanced back into the room at his sleeping daughter, his entire self aching with confusion and the need for the truth.

Grabbing his jacket at the front door, he slipped into his boots and set off towards the motel. Whatever was going on in that town, Sam was somehow connected to it so that meant he had to have answers.

"What the hell am I doing?" He groaned, shaking his head as his footsteps echoed lightly into the dead of the night. Running a hand through his hair, he looked ahead and paused as his eyes caught sight of the sleek black Impala that was parked outside the old church instead of outside the motel. And considering the church hadn't been used in God knows how long and yet the front doors stood ajar, it was more than just a little suspicious.

_And just what are you up to Sam?_ He questioned, changing his course of direction and instead heading towards the church. He probably should have played it quietly, using the element of surprise but he didn't feel much like playing games. So he was hardly stunned when Sam came slinking down the stairs, looking like he was ready for a fight if needed.

He didn't want a fight… just answers.

"Grey…" It was a statement more than a question, a little more guarded then it had been in previous conversations between the two.

"You're still in town then?" He asked as he eyed the man at the bottom of the stairs and at the question, the man seemed to become just that little bit tenser, almost defensive.

"I told you, I'm not leaving without my brother."

Nodding, he walked forwards, his eyes roaming over the scarce contents of the room before looking back to Sam. "You know this is breaking and entering, right?"

Sam smiled at that, a sly smile that showed the attitude that lay beneath. "Haven't broken anything."

"Right, of course… the door just happened to open by itself and you what, felt like it was an invitation from God himself? What are you doing here?"

"I'm trying to find a way to get my brother back."

"I don't believe you."

"I've told you the truth. It's up to you whether or not you believe it."

"And I'm your brother? I'm Dean Winchester? I have a family! I have a wife, and a daughter and son! So tell me, what's so special about 'Dean' that would make me even _want_ to be him?"

Sam shook his head, tears at the edges of his eyes as he refused to look at the man before him, his gaze instead focusing on the window at the far end of the room. What was so special about Dean? He was arrogant at times, cocky as hell, always getting into trouble with authority. He played classic rock until it made your ears bleed, drove too fast, had the worst table manners Sam had ever seen and then there was the endless flirting. He was a self sacrificing bastard who never thought about himself, always put others first even if it meant he'd end up six feet under. He took too many chances, but never with Sam's life, only with his own.

"He's the best damn hunter and big brother the world has ever seen. He's _my_ big brother and he drives me absolutely crazy sometimes but he always has my back."

"Ha! What the hell type of person forgets about his little brother? Why would I want to be someone who would do that?!" He cried out, hand flying up to his head as the building headache from before intensified, stopping him from saying anything else.

Taking a step forward, Sam frowned, his hand reaching out to touch Grey's shoulder but falling back to his side, restraining himself as he was forced to just look on with worry. Look but don't touch… He hated feeling so helpless. "Are you alright?"

Grey shifted, the heels of his hands pressing into his eyes in an attempt to control the pain. It was like someone was driving multiple knives through his skull and refused to stop. But it wasn't just that. He couldn't explain it though… how could he if he didn't even understand it?

"On my sixteenth birthday… my dad let me drive his car for the time." He sighed after a moment, swallowing hard against the lump in his throat as he let his hands fall away from his eyes. "He said that if I kept my grades good I'd get my own for my seventeenth. And I did. I worked hard all year, got the best damn marks I could and then come my seventeenth my dad held up his end of the bargain. I remember it clear as day; I remember holding the keys in my hands and thinking 'freedom at last'. I mean… it wasn't anything special, just this beat up old Ford…"

"I know it's hard to believe-" Sam sighed, his guts squirming at the almost broken tone to Grey's voice. His words were quickly interrupted though as Grey spun to face him, eyes suddenly hard as they stared straight into Sam's, almost challenging him.

Hazel orbs brimmed with tears as Grey snarled, turning away for a moment as he took in a half breath, his lips trembling ever so slightly as the first salty drop slid down his cheek even though he tried desperately to hold it back . "No… you know what's hard is that every damn time I close my eyes and try to remember how it felt to _drive_ the damn thing, I get this image in my mind… this different memory. And that's not the only one! I have this one memory telling me that my first kiss was Joanna, the love of my life, but then I have this other one telling me that no, it was Suzie Cornbacker behind the gym in some run down town that was home to a damn werewolf pack! And right now… I don't know which one I'm supposed to believe-"

Sam felt like someone was twisting his insides, the tears in his own eyes slowly finding their way to his cheeks as he listened to the man in front of him, opening his mouth to speak but somehow the words seemed lost on the way to his tongue. What could he possibly say to convince him of who he was? What more could he do to get him to understand?

"-So go on." Grey went on, his voice as broken and tired as the soul reflected in those hazel eyes, "You're such a smart guy… go ahead and explain what the hell that's supposed to mean because me, how am I supposed to tell what's real and what's not when I don't even know who I am anymore?!"

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.


	8. To the rhythm of a time bomb ticking awa

.-.-. Memory Remains.-.-.-.

Summary:

For two weeks Sam hasn't seen or heard from Dean and his search is getting nowhere. Now he's filing a missing persons report in a small town with a cop who looks an awful lot like his big brother.

Disclaimer - The usual, don't own 'em, just love playing with them. :D

Set late season 2… warnings for bad language and the other typical things you can expect from a SPN fic.

Ill or not, I have the week off and I've sat down and wrote up my plan for the rest of this story and here is the first chapter that will lead to the end... Only one or two more chapters left, depending on how the next one plays out when it's all written up. Anyway, pretty quick update for me, huh? Guess I'm just excited. Thank you so much for reading! It means a lot!

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To the rhythm of a time bomb ticking away

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Sam closed his eyes for a moment and let the words wash over him, let them sink in and bury deep into his soul like tiny shards of glass. He couldn't bear to see his brother look so lost and broken but there he was, standing in front of Sam, pleading with him and Sam didn't know what to say.

"Dean… please… look at me. Forget about the memories and just look at me. Tell you can't feel that? Tell you can't feel we're brothers?"

The man before him looked up with slightly raised eyebrows and for a moment, Sam thought he was going to tell him where he could shove his feelings but instead he saw a familiar light shining through those hazel orbs and felt his heart skip a beat from hope.

"…could you _be_ anymore of a girl?"

His face dropped automatically into an 'I am not amused' expression, his eyes rolling as he barely managed to control the frustrated sigh that threatened to escape. A reaction that only Dean could cause. He was there; his brother was in there, slowly coming to the surface a little bit at a time… But the elation of this news didn't last long as Sam's gaze landed on the painful grimace currently gracing Dean's features, his own face falling as concern and worry swept across it.

"What wrong?" He asked cautiously, taking a step closer.

"'Just a headache." But barely a second after responding, Dean's eyes fell shut and he dropped down onto one knee. One hand reached out to sit on the floor and stop him from falling any further as the other stayed in its position over his right eye, the crushing pain evident in the way he was forced to grit his teeth.

"_Just_ a headache? Yeah right Dean, _just_ a headache wouldn't bring you down." Without even thinking about it, he found himself kneeling in front of his brother, trying to get a good look at his face, his anxiety spiking when he saw the trickle of blood oozing from his nose.

"So maybe it's a bit worse than that…"

"A bit? Jesus, you never know when to give it up… what the hell? When did these _headaches_ start?"

Swallowing thickly, Dean's left eye opened to a slit, just enough so he could see Sam. "I dunno, same time as the memories… ever since you came to the station that day."

Chewing his bottom lip, Sam looked over to the church door and then back to Dean. There had to be something he could do. "Do you trust me?"

"You sound like freaking Aladdin dude…"

"Damn it Dean, do you trust me?"

"Crazy as it sounds… yeah, I trust you. Why?"

"'Cause I'm gonna grab some stuff from the trunk then I'll be back, okay?"

"Since when did we pack Morphine?" The side of Dean's mouth twitched into a small smirk that quickly disappeared to be replaced by a sharp hiss.

"You need a cure, not something to tide you over… but I have an idea." _I just hope it works_. He added internally as his thoughts drifted up to the bell and he wondered what effect the noise would have on whatever spell Morgan currently had on his brother. Pushing himself up, he forced himself away and towards the door, glancing back at Dean for only a second before leaving the church and heading for the Impala.

Pulling the keys from his pocket, he unlocked and opened the trunk, barely even getting the chance to find the rope before _her_ voice rang clearly in his ears.

"You're lucky Sam." She said smoothly, the child's voice sounding less and less like a child the more and more he heard it.

His hand weaved around his back and he swung to face her, his hand gripping the gun that was tucked neatly in the waistband of his jeans. Without hesitation, he brought it up to her forehead with every intention of pulling the trigger but she was too quick. With a flick of her head, the gun went flying out of his hand, landing somewhere along the path leading up to the church.

"Oh really…" He muttered dryly, cursing internally as his eyes lost track of where the gun landed. "How so?"

She smiled, eyes glinting with mischief as she looked over him for a moment before answering, "I happen to like Dean, he's grown on me a lot. If I didn't, he'd be dead already."

"And that's supposed to comfort me?" With a raised eyebrow, he tilted his head the side, trying to make sure that her eyes stayed focused on his face and away from his hand as it felt inside the trunk for the shotgun loaded with iron rounds.

Shaking her head, she glanced up to the church momentarily before looking back at him. "You're not listening to what I'm saying. I like him but I _will_ kill him if he tries to leave. So I'm giving you a chance. You walk away, right now, leave this town and I promise - he'll live. He'll live a full and proper life, wife and kids, steady job, no major health worries… and he'll die old… very old. If he dies at all."

His fingers paused as they passed over the shotgun, her words causing him to look away for an instant as he thought about what she said. He faltered, unable to help but wonder if maybe things would be better that way. Sure, he was finally getting through to his brother; Dean was finally remembering who he was. But what if he didn't really want to… what if he was happier playing husband and father? What right did Sam have to take that away from him?

"Why would I believe you? Say I leave, say he forgets all about me all over again - the second he starts remembering who he really is, you'll kill him just as quick as you killed the guy in the park when _he_ started remembering."

"You're not too bright really, are you? _You_ are the reason he's remembering. With you gone, he won't have any connection to who he was, he'll have no reason to be curious or suspicious. Little Stanley only remembered because I _let_ him."

A lump formed in his throat as he took in her words, their meaning fast becoming clear. "So what, he was a warning? You trying to tell me that if I didn't leave that's what would happen to Dean? Just a warning…"

"Obviously one you didn't pay attention to. And they call you the smart one…" She rolled her eyes, clucking her tongue in mock disappointment. "I mean it Sam, you leave, he lives."

He shook his head, hand gripping the handle of the shotgun tight as he pulled it from the trunk and swung it around to face her, this time determined to keep a hold of it. "No. I'm not leaving here without my brother."

She eyed the shotgun with a wary gaze, the side of her lip hitching into a sly smile. "So will that be one body bag or two?"

He didn't get the chance to grace her with an answer though as another voice drew his attention. Dean… His eyes flew towards the entrance to the church as his brother stood leaning against the frame for support, his expression confused and upset.

"Sam?"

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Dean didn't have to clarify what was meant by the question, he could tell by Sam's face that he knew what was hidden behind that one word. More questions that when summed up sounded mostly like 'what are you doing?'. He knew exactly what Sam was doing. Sam was pointing a shotgun at the young girl who, up until half an hour ago, he recognised as his daughter.

And though the memories of Dean seemed just that little bit more vivid, the memories of pouring a little Sam a bowl of cereal instead of a little Morgan, the memories of teaching little Sammy how to ride an old rusty bike instead of a young Morgan and a bright pink one… the memories of Morgan were still there along with the need to protect her from harm.

"Dean, she's the bad guy…" He heard Sam call to him but at the same time, he saw Morgan's eyes fill up with tears, her body shaking as she looked towards him, pleading with him.

"Daddy… please…"

"Sam…" He warned dangerously, pushing himself away from the door frame to walk down the short path towards the sleek black car, "Put the shotgun down. Please Sam."

"Listen to me Dean!" Sam growled, his hands remaining completely steady and still.

"Come on Sam… She's just a kid. This… this is crazy." Taking another step forward, his foot caught something solid and he looked down, the metal of a gun glinting in the dim streetlight. He didn't even realise he was doing it until he had already reached over to pick it up, aiming it directly at Sam… Sam, the one who was supposed to be his brother but also the one who was threatening the life of the one that was supposed to be his child. "Drop it Sam."

"You know me Dean. And you know I'm right. Whatever tricks she's playing on your mind, focus on what you know is right. She's not your kid Dean. She's just like every other evil son of a bitch we've laid to rest."

She couldn't be… she was just a child. Just an innocent kid. And yet the more Sam spoke, the more he doubted, even as the tears slid down her cheeks and she continued to ask what was wrong with her 'daddy' and why he wasn't helping her. But he couldn't… Because he had to wonder why she was there in the first place when he had tucked her up in bed and even waited until she had fallen asleep before leaving.

His hand began to lower, the gun's aim dropping as he hesitated for just a fraction of a second. But it was a fraction too long and he saw Morgan's face grow stony and cold, her eyes lifting to Sam as she tilted her head to the side and the shotgun was moved. Dean watched as it was Sam's face filled with confusion this time as he turned the gun on himself, the barrel of the shotgun sitting nearly under his chin, his eyes desperate and unwilling.

And that was enough. That was all he needed for his instincts to kick in, the .45 in his hand suddenly moving up again but this time to aim at Morgan. He didn't wait for her to react, he didn't have time because Sam was already struggling not to pull the trigger on the shotgun - so Dean pulled his trigger first and he kept on at it until the entire clip was empty.

She fell to the floor in an instant, her body dropping like a rag doll as the blood began to pool around her. Devastation rushed over him along with the realisation of what he'd just done and he barely even took notice as Sam was able to pull the shotgun away from his chin. Rushing forward, the gun fell from his hands as he dropped to the ground beside her.

His entire body shaking, he reached out but withdrew almost instantly, almost fearing to touch her. The mantra of '_I killed her. Oh God, I killed her'_ circling round and round in his head because there she was, lying unmoving on the ground, eyes empty and open as they stared straight ahead unseeing.

"Dean…" The name caused him to look up and at Sam, his blazing eyes meeting Sam's gentle ones.

He was so sure that Sam could sense the self-hatred and guilt flowing through him, was sure he knew exactly what was going through Dean's mind because the next thing he knew, Sam was kneeling in front of his, his hands on his shoulders as he looked at him imploringly, telling him to listen to him.

"I killer her…" It was all he could manage, one hand stained with the sticky red substance and he lifted it from the pool of blood on the ground to look at it blankly.

"No Dean. You didn't. She's not human, there's no way that could have killed her. We need to move…" Sam went on, forcing Dean to look at him as he took control of the situation, refusing to lose his brother for a second time. "We need to get out of here and up to the tower before she recovers."

"And do what exactly?" Dean muttered, letting Sam drag him up onto his feet once again.

"The bell, we've got to fix the bell."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.


	9. Crimson Dawn

.-.-. Memory Remains.-.-.-.

Summary:

For two weeks Sam hasn't seen or heard from Dean and his search is getting nowhere. Now he's filing a missing persons report in a small town with a cop who looks an awful lot like his big brother.

Disclaimer - The usual, don't own 'em, just love playing with them. :D

Set late season 2… warnings for bad language and the other typical things you can expect from a SPN fic.

Thank you to everyone who has been reading this so far. It means a lot to me. And thanks for the wonderful response. This is the second from last chapter and I promise I'll try not to keep you hanging too long. Thank you again! I hope you enjoy!

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Crimson Dawn

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

After reloading the gun and passing it to Dean, Sam pulled a thick line of rope from the trunk and grabbed the shotgun. Gently placing a hand on his brother's arm, he motioned towards the church and they moved off for the tower.

"You up to this?" He asked, trying to keep his voice level as emotion threatened to clog up his throat. He could see the internal fight going on in Dean's eyes, could see him questioning his decision.

"What happens if I say no?" The eldest joked half-heartedly, offering a reluctant smile that failed to reach his hazel orbs.

Sam returned the smile with one of his own, sad and understanding. He didn't want to make Dean do anything he didn't want to, he couldn't even imagine how his brother must have been feeling at that moment. "You don't have to do this…"

Shaking his head, Dean shrugged and pressed forward, his tone lightening a little as his eyes sparkled in a manner that was purely Dean. "'Course I do Sam. You're my brother - and I trust you."

Swallowing hard, Sam couldn't even voice how much those words meant for him to hear. His chest feeling that little less tight as it hit him for the first time that they could both get out of this, memories and lives intact.

"But if you do turn out to be some lying stalker freak, I'll have to kill you." Dean added as he followed Sam up the stairs.

"Then it's a good thing I'm telling the truth."

It was good to have Dean back. It felt so damn good to have him back but he couldn't chance to jinx it just yet, not when Morgan was still alive. As soon as they reached the tower, Sam propped the shotgun up against the wall, using both hands to grip the rope instead. He chewed his lip for moment, studying the situation and watching from the corner of his eye as Dean kept watch on the stairs.

Coming to a decision, Sam sent the rope sailing over a beam at the top of the room, tying one end to a piece of wood sticking out of the wall before moving to attach the other to the bell.

"So tell me Sammy," Dean started, shifting a little as his eyes wandered over to Sam, "What exactly is a bell gonna do to a demon?"

The question caused Sam to hesitate. Pausing in his actions, he thought for a moment, clearing his throat. He glanced back at Dean as his brother changed his guard position, wandering gradually over to the window instead. "She err… she's not exactly a demon."

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"She's a faerie Dean."

Dean cocked an eyebrow, his eyes showing clear disbelief as he turned to stare straight at Sam. "I'm sorry… what?"

"A faerie." Sam repeated, finishing his knot on the rope and moving back to the other end. "She's a faerie."

"Jesus Christ. You are so damn lucky you're my brother Sam or you would be on your own with this one. A faerie? Morgan is Tinkebell?"

"You wish." Sam scoffed, his lip quirking at the side as Dean shook his head again, placing his hand on the windowsill, ready to look out but yet his eyes remained focused on Sam as the youngest carried on. "Try Morgan le Fay. Queen _witch_ of the faeries. And besides, since when could Tinkerbell make people kill themselves?"

"Tell me Sammy, why am I crazy enough to trust you again? Freaking faeries…" Rolling his eyes and scoffing slightly, Dean looked out over at the road and blood stained path beside the Impala, his heart dropping and stomach clenching immediately. "Sam - she's gone."

Only that wasn't what he meant. What he meant was more that she wasn't so much gone, as missing; which essentially meant that they were well and truly screwed. And having his own personal 'Dean translator' installed in his brain, Sam knew exactly what he'd meant.

"Damn it. Quick, help me with this." He ordered, hands tightening around the rope as he heaved, Dean joining him promptly.

Hearts pounding, the bell shifted, straightening a little. And so they pulled harder still.

"Okay, she's not a demon." Dean grunted, raising one hand higher on the rope to get better leverage. "So what's the bell supposed to do to a faerie?"

"Well, I'm hoping it'll disable her powers long enough for the iron in the shotgun to work its way through her."

"That's it?! She _was_ 'disabled' down there!"

Gritting his teeth from the effort, Sam shook his head, "Not enough… she was still too strong."

"Right… of course she was." Dean growled in frustration. What did he expect; things were never easy for the Winchesters, why would this be any different?

"You should listen to him. He's right you know." Her voice rang through the room, her presence at the doorway causing the brothers to freeze, eyes landing on her clothes still stained with blood.

Walking further into the room, she frowned, her eyes locking with Dean as they shone with unshed tears, still trying to get to him even though she knew he was no longer under her spell. "Why did you shoot me Daddy? Was I bad? Did I do something wrong? What did I do Daddy? I… I thought you loved me."

"You are _not_ my daughter." Dean ground out, holding strong even though his heart ached for the little girl in front of him, some part of him wanting desperately to reach out and comfort her. "You're nothing to do with me."

A small pink tongue rolled over pearly whites as the child before them took on an expression that could only be described as 'pissed'. Or at least that was the word Dean would use to describe it.

She smiled sickly sweet, her eyes glimmering maliciously as her head titled to the side, a force gripping Dean tightly and pulling him forwards, forcing him to let go of the rope as he landed a mere foot in front of Morgan. Looking down at him, she tutted and shook her head, paying no heed to Sam as he gasped, the rope burning his hand as it slipped in his grip momentarily, feet sliding forwards until he steadied the bell again.

Dean rolled over quickly, jumping to his feet and drawing the gun from around his back, aiming it levelly at her chest. She eyed it, her eyebrows raised incredulously as she circled him until she was between him and Sam.

"You gonna shoot me again? Now what good did that do the last time?"

Then she took a step to the side but the gun didn't follow her and Dean felt his heart hammering hard as his arm refused to obey, the .45 staying determinedly on Sam.

"I gave you a chance at life and since you're so damn ungrateful, I think it's time I took away the only thing left that you have to live for."

He prayed for Sam to move, prayed for his brother to drop the bell and move out of the way. He could feel his finger already starting to move, the tip caressing the surface of the trigger. But Sam seemed just as frozen as he was and he couldn't stop his finger. He couldn't stop it from moving.

And as the trigger was pulled and the gun went off, the eldest gained enough control in just enough time to send the bullet astray, the small metal object bouncing off the surface of the bell and causing it to start vibrating gently.

He watched in mystified fascination as the quiet ringing in the air caused Morgan to flinch and grimace in pain, as effective as saying Christo to a demon. But the impact of the bullet wasn't enough to cause the effect that the brothers wanted and Dean could tell that Sam was struggling to keep a hold, could tell it was only a matter of time before he dropped the rope completely.

But as his eyes studied the wooden flooring sitting a foot or so beneath the raised bell, he questioned whether that would really be a bad thing.

"Sam, drop the bell." He ordered, his eyes flashing toward his brother with steel determination.

"Are you crazy?" Sam choked out, his body inching back as he forced his muscles to keep working, "Have you see this place? I drop this, the whole tower could go."

"That's what I'm counting on." He mumbled under his breath as Morgan narrowed her eyes suspiciously at him, her head cocking to the side in a questioning manner. But he sent a nod Sam's way, praying for the youngest to trust him.

Sam swallowed thickly but replied with his own nod all the same before pulling back with all his strength, his body sinking lower as he raised the bell that little bit more… and then he let go.

It crashed heavily against the floor, the collision causing it to ring out momentarily, louder than before. But even as the ringing threatened to stop, almost instantaneously, the floorboards creaked beneath it, the sudden impact causing them to snap and set off a chain reaction as the bell broke all the way through.

The rope tightened, stiffening and Dean smiled as his eyes traced it from the spot Sam had tied it at on the wall to the beam up ahead and then down to the bell. And the bell sounded out, swinging gently as it hung between the broken floors. The overhead beam was already straining from the weight of keeping it raised though, the end of the rope at the wall already threatening to break away.

Morgan screeched, her hands flying up to her ears as she was forced to drop down in agony against the floor. Ignoring her, Dean rushed forwards towards Sam as the youngest dropped unsteadily to all fours, the floor quaking precariously beneath him. But before Dean had the chance to reach him, he heard the ominous snapping of the overhead beam as it broke away and came down hard, the impact causing the floor between him and Sam to fall away.

But it didn't stop there. As the bell kept ringing, cracks formed in the wall around the rope and Sam only just managed to dodge the rough piece of wood that came flying out, following the rope and the bell towards the ground level of the church. And it wasn't the only thing that followed - the floor beneath Sam completely gave out and it was a case of one second he was there, and the next he was gone.

"SAM!!" The name ripped through his lungs as he threw himself towards the gap in the floor, the shaking of the tower ceasing along with the sound of the bell as it came to rest just next to the open door of the church. His heart sped up as he searched for any sign of his brother in the jumbled mess of rubble, nearly giving out when he finally saw the youngest push himself up, grimacing in pain as he shifted. "Sammy! You okay?"

"I'm fine…" Sam groaned in reply, testing his joints gingerly before looking back up at his brother, his eyes already sending the question back to him before his mouth had even caught up. "You?"

"I'm not the one who just fell through the floor." Dean scoffed, shaking his head disbelievingly, thanking whatever guardian angel it was that was looking after his brother. "You are one lucky son of a bitch Sam."

But the sound of movements from behind made him freeze, Morgan already taking advantage of the bell having stopped ringing as she hissed at him, "And you're about to become a dead one."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.


	10. Blood Red Sky

.-.-. Memory Remains.-.-.-.

Summary:

For two weeks Sam hasn't seen or heard from Dean and his search is getting nowhere. Now he's filing a missing persons report in a small town with a cop who looks an awful lot like his big brother.

Disclaimer - The usual, don't own 'em, just love playing with them. :D

Set late season 2… warnings for bad language and the other typical things you can expect from a SPN fic.

Oh my God, this chapter would not end. It just kept on getting longer and longer and longer... But I didn't have the heart to split it into two. So here it is, the final chapter. I hope you enjoy. Thank you all so much for reading, and for the way awesome encouragement throughout. It means a lot to me.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Blood Red Sky

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Pushing himself up a little, Dean turned his head to face the deadly little girl behind him. Her eyes gleamed with pure rage, narrowed at him as she bared her teeth, tiny hands clenching at her side. _So much for the bell theory…_ he thought idly to himself, throat visibly working as he swallowed and sent up a small nervous smile.

"Dean!" Sam shouted from below, his call frantic, "What's going on? Talk to me!"

"I'm okay Sammy." _For now._

"That's not what I asked!"

He didn't get the chance to answer though; Morgan sweeping her hand out in front of her in one fluid motion, causing Dean to be thrown away from the hole in the floor and back into the tower room where he skidded to a halt mere feet away from where the shotgun sat.

"You just had to go and ruin everything, didn't you Dean?" She asked as she walked towards him, holding herself with the same form a predator would have when approaching their prey.

"You picked the wrong hunter to mess with bitch." He groaned out, working the kinks out of his neck as he inched to the side towards the shotgun.

Her mind so focused on reaching him, she didn't seem to realise what he was intending to do. He was fine with that, in fact, he'd rather that it stayed that way as he moved himself so he was obstructing her view of the gun, his hand snaking out to wrap around it.

"Clueless as ever." She said with a shake of her head, her lip quirking at the side into a vicious smile as she stopped, her shoes almost touching Dean's.

"Looks like I'm not the only one." He snarked; fingers wrapping tightly around the shotgun as he brought it round in front of him with ease so that both hands could grip the weapon at both sides, his body moving upwards at the same time. Using the handle of the gun, he hit her hard in the chest and sent her down; making it so she was no longer the one looming over him.

In the same motion, his right hand slid down the barrel of the gun to rest with the other as he readied the gun before aiming it down at her chest. She lay there seething, jaw clenched, eyes still gleaming and when she didn't do anything to stop or deter him; that was when he realised she was low on energy.

"What's the matter Morgan? Throwing me across the room use up the last of your power bar?" He mocked, though as he looked down at the blood stained girl, his heart twisted painfully. The memories of the past weeks gnawed at him, the image of the pissed off little girl in front of him mixing with the same little girl he'd been scooping up in his arms as she'd laughed and held on tight to him. "You know, Sammy seems to think that the state you're in, a chest full of iron will kill you. And judging by the fear in your eyes, I think he's right."

"Go ahead Dean, kill me." She hissed; egging him on as she raised her head from the ground just enough to prove that she was still being defiant. "But what do you think will happen to all the people in this town? You think your precious Joanna will just get her memories back and walk away from here? She's even older than the wood that built this church. I die, the magic dies, and more than half the people in this town turn to dust."

"It's better than living like this…" He responded quickly, ignoring the hesitation of his finger as it moved away from the trigger for a long moment.

"Living like what Dean?" She challenged him, her voice softening as her eyes did too, the childish look returning as a lone tear slipped down her cheek. "Don't you get it? I'm giving all these people a chance to live happily ever after. I gave _you_ that chance. I gave you a family, a good job, a life that could be full and happy."

"I have a family, I have a job."

"But you're not always happy with it."

Well that bit was true. There were times he hated his life, times he hated being a hunter that always risked his life and never got the chance to settle down. He paused, her words sinking in. He could hear Sam shifting about beneath them, could hear him moving all the broken boards in an attempt to reach the eldest.

"And what about Stanley?" He said after a beat, his voice barely above a whisper, "How did he fit into your happily ever after?"

"That was unfortunate… it could have been a lot worse though."

"Yeah well, I can't imagine how." He gritted his teeth as he spoke, grip tightening on the shotgun as his finger found the trigger once again.

"Dean!" Sam called out, panic tracing the edges of his voice. "Jesus Dean, talk to me!"

"I'm fine Sam." He shouted back, his eyes never leaving Morgan's.

But he was far from fine. He knew it and so did Morgan, her lip curled up into a smile as she mocked him.

"Sure you are Dean. You're just dandy."

Her tone caused him to growl and he refocused the gun, making sure it was aimed directly at her heart. But there was something in her eyes that made him stop. It was the same look he'd seen before when she had raced down the street to meet him, a deep sadness and fear lingering behind a shadow of loneliness. Her words circled his head as he remembered the tears that had stained her cheeks at the thought of him leaving.

And maybe it was the memories that still refused to fade; the need to protect the small child that had pretended to be his daughter… or maybe it was because he knew what it was like to feel so alone. But as she turned her head to the side, waiting for the shot of iron that was sure to come, he actually felt sorry for her.

Growling in frustration, he averted the gun and fired off a round before letting it fall to the floor with a clatter. He dropped with it, bending low to grab the front of Morgan's shirt, and he pulled her up so they were face to face. His eyes flashed dangerously, his lips parted to reveal his teeth as he snarled at her.

"I'm giving you one chance and one chance only. Leave this place and make sure you are never heard from again - or mark my word, I _will_ kill you. I will hunt you down and make sure you are dead. I don't care if you look like a kid, an old lady or a freaking puppy, I will fill you full of iron and watch you _die_."

Gazing up at him, her brow pulled together as her mouth opened to whisper just one simple word. "Why?"

He didn't need her to expand on her question; he knew exactly what she'd meant. What he wasn't so sure of was the answer and as he pushed her away, turning his back on her, he guessed she had figured as much too. "I don't know but I'd suggest that you disappear pretty damn quickly before I change my mind."

She didn't reply, didn't even make a sound. But as Sam's agitated voice drifted to him and he turned back to face the gap in the floor, she was long gone, leaving no trace. He bent down and picked up the shotgun before stalking towards the hole and peering down at his brother.

"It's about time!" Sam shouted, his brow creased and jaw clenched as he looked up at his brother, "What happened? You okay?"

"She's gone." He replied tightly, throwing the shotgun down onto the rubble before dropping over the edge himself to land awkwardly off to Sam's side. "Job done."

Nodding gently, Sam's eyes grew soft. He opened his mouth, wetting his dry lips with a flicker of his tongue for a moment as he thought about what exactly he could say to his brother as Dean dusted himself off and looked towards the exit. "It had to be done. You made the right choice…"

"Yeah…" His voice was distracted, gaze distant. She was just a kid… or at least that was what she was to him. He just hoped he wouldn't live to regret his decision. She had given him a chance to live and now he was repaying the favour. Sighing heavily, he moved towards the door of the church, listening as Sam picked up the shotgun before following him.

Looking out at the still sleeping town that would no doubt soon be waking, he had to wonder what would happen to it and the people who called it home. His mind wandered to Joanna and he felt a twang within his chest. One thing he knew for certain was that he couldn't just leave without saying goodbye; he couldn't just let her think that she'd been abandoned.

"So what happens now?" Sam asked from beside him as the pair walked down the path towards the Impala. He hung back just a little when they reached it, hesitant as he provided Dean with some much needed space. And Dean was thankful for that; thankful that he did push to talk because he wasn't sure he really wanted to just yet.

"Now? Now we go to Grey's and pick up my stuff… damn bitch packed it up in boxes, even my leather jacket…"

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Joanna was standing at the doorway with a coffee in her hand, thick wool dressing gown wrapped around her tightly as she looked out over the road. She didn't acknowledge the Impala as it pulled it, didn't even look at Dean until he started walking up the garden path towards her, a sad smile on his face as he greeted her.

"Hey there." He said gently, hating the idea of hurting her more and more each second. It felt weird knowing that the last time he'd took those steps towards the house; the last time he'd seen her face, he had been a different person completely and part of him missed the security that had come with being that person.

She frowned at him, a look of confusion clear on her face and an element of suspicion in her eyes. Her free hand followed one edge of her dressing gown up to her neck where she pulled it closed a little more, fingers resting there as she eyed him. "Do I know you?" She asked; a slight quiver to her gentle tone.

His throat tautened at the question, eyes drifting down to the side momentarily as he realised this goodbye was going to be a lot harder on him than on her. Looking back up at her, he offered her his best game face. "I'm a friend of your husband. My name's Dean."

"You knew my Jonathan?" Her eyebrows rose as she spoke, tears already forming in her eyes as her body relaxed and her the corners of her mouth quirked upwards slightly in the same manner he had seen time and time before, always on a person who was remembering a loved one that had passed away.

"_Knew_?" He repeated, stressing the tense of the word and she nodded, teeth tugging on her bottom lip as she drew in a long breath. "He's dead?"

"Two years ago. It was a car accident. You didn't hear?"

He shook his head, glancing back to the car for a moment where Sam stood watching him from over the roof, arms rested against the sleek black exterior. "I've been away." He replied quietly in explanation, turning back to her. "I'm sorry; I know how much you meant to each other. He really loved you."

A tear slid down her cheek as her smile widened a little and she nodded her head gently. "Thank you."

Clearing his throat, he shifted on the spot, eyes looking behind her and into the house for a moment before looking back at her. "Jonathan, he er.. he was looking after a few boxes of mine. I was meant to be picking them up…"

"Wait, _Dean_? You're that Dean? Yeah, I remember him saying something about that. I think they're in the garage - you're lucky you came now, I was getting ready to throw them away."

It was when Sam and Dean had collected his things and were on their way out of the town that the topic of the townspeople came up, and it was Sam who brought it up. He turned in his seat, watching out the back window as they pulled away from Joanna's. Dean was silent, distant once again but the sound of Sam's voice brought him back and he looked towards his brother before going back to concentrating on the road.

"She doesn't remember, does she? I mean… she doesn't remember who she really is."

"No, she doesn't." Dean answered simply.

"You think everyone will be like that?"

Shaking his head, he thought about Morgan's words and how she'd talked about how her magic was keeping most of the town alive. At least she'd told the truth about one thing, she was giving them the chance to live. "There'll be some who remember." He said eventually, "But the ones who don't... maybe they're better off this way."

He barely even caught the sad look that passed across Sam's face as the youngest turned away, his eyes gazing determinedly out the passenger window. He took a deep breath before speaking again and Dean watched from the corner of his eye as the dawning sun seemed to make the slight sheen to Sam's eyes more visible.

"I called Bobby while you were in there, told him we'd meet him at the motel he's staying at."

"Then you better let me in on the secret of where that is, 'fore I head in the wrong direction."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Sam continued to gaze out of the window as they pulled into the new town; his mind still back in Morgan's as he thought about what Dean had said. His chest ached, his heart twisting as he wondered if Dean wished he didn't remember who he really was and was still back there playing the role of happy father. He wondered if maybe Dean would have been 'better off that way'.

His eyes landed on Bobby as the elder hunter emerged from his motel room and Dean parked up several feet away next to Bobby's car, bringing him back to the present and out of his thoughts momentarily. Both brothers climbed out the car and immediately the elder hunter was greeted with a hearty 'Bobby!' from Dean. Closing the door behind him, Sam leaned against it as he watched with a smile as Bobby approached the pair.

"How you doing Bobby?" Sam asked, his hands snaking into his pockets as he bent one leg at the knee and placed the heel of his shoe at the very bottom of the Impala's body work - Dean would kill him if it went any higher, hell, Dean would probably kill him anyway for it just being in that position.

"Hell of a lot better now I know you boys ain't trapped by some faerie spell." Bobby answered gruffly, one hand reaching up to lift the cap up from his head whilst the other ruffled his hair a little before the cap was replaced. "How the hell you managed to get trapped in the first place is beyond me. And you claim to be hunters…"

"Play nice Bobby, it's been a rough couple'a weeks." Dean shot back with a grin, a twinkle in his eye.

"Way I hear it, you had it easy." Bobby teased, moving closer to the Impala and hitching his head back towards the open doorway of his room as he stayed focused on Dean. "So how 'bout you make up for it by getting my bags?"

Dean opened his mouth to object but shut it almost immediately, shaking his head and stalking off towards the room. It was a ploy; Sam knew that as soon as the elder hunter leaned against the hood of the car and looked back at Sam, voice low enough so Dean wouldn't hear.

"How's he holding up?"

Sam shrugged, gaze following Dean as he kicked a stray stone across the parking lot before entering the room. "I don't know; he won't let me in."

"Give him time Sam. He's just been forced to give up everything; the memories will fade over time but the feelings…"

"You should have seen him Bobby." Sam went on, casting him a quick glance. He could feel the tears wanting to stream down his cheeks but he forced them back. "The way he was with her, the way he fitted. I never thought that Dean…" He swallowed the thick lump in his throat, his voice sad as he continued to explain. "I've never seen that side to him. How could I have never noticed that before? I mean, he practically raised me… looked after me, cared for me… he still does. This life Bobby, it's not fair. He should have had the chance to have a family of his own someday…"

"He's got a family Sam, he's got you. Ever think that maybe you're enough for him?"

"Hey! Yabber monkeys!" Dean called from the doorway, bags in both hand as he shot the pair a look, stopping Sam from replying. "You wanna help or you just gonna stand there all day talking?"

Scoffing, Sam pushed himself away and headed towards him. He just hoped that Bobby was right, hoped that Dean really was better off _this_ way.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

It was late afternoon before Bobby was ready to set off. Sam was saying his goodbyes to him whilst Dean sat perched on the hood of the Impala, eyes watching the children's park just next to the motel; lost in memories that weren't even real. He knew who he was. He knew he was a hunter and that wasn't ever going to change but still, he couldn't help but mourn for the life that he could have had along with the life Sam could have had too.

Part of him regretted dragging Sam back into the hunting gig, and it was that same part that regretted having to walk away from that town. But this was who they were. This was their life, this was _his_ life. His lip cocked up to the side as he thought about how crazy it would drive him never to be able feel that thrill of hunting, the feeling he got when he or Sam saved someone's life, when they killed the bad guy…

"Excuse me… mister?" A small voice distracted him from his thoughts and he looked down to see a small brunette tugging on his sleeve and holding up a four leaf clover. "This lady over there told me to give this to you."

Frowning, he took the clover from her fingers and looked up towards the park once more as the girl ran back towards it. But there was no sign of the woman that the girl had mentioned, there were only a couple of grown ups about and they were too preoccupied with talking to each other to have given the girl the clover.

Staring back down at the small green leaves, he didn't even notice Sam joining him until the youngest cleared his throat. He lifted his head to face him, noticing as Bobby's car pulled away from the parking lot. Sam raised his hand to reveal a small pill bottle, throwing it to Dean who caught it easily in his free hand as Sam took a seat beside him and looked out towards the park.

"Iron supplements?" Dean quizzed sceptically.

"Bobby thought they might help."

"Right…" He raised an eyebrow but popped the top all the same, taking a couple before pushing the bottle into his jacket pocket.

"What's with the clover?" Sam asked, his eyes finally landing on the small green object.

"One of the kids gave it to me…"

Silence fell for a moment, but it didn't last. Dean shifted uncomfortably, chewing his lip as he looked down at his hands. He couldn't lie to him, he didn't want to. He didn't want to have to keep it to himself. "I couldn't kill her Sam." He breathed out, "I let her go."

"I know…" Sam replied quietly, nodding as he did so.

That got Dean's attention, his head snapping up to look at his brother, brow pulled into a puzzled frown. "Why didn't you say something? She was evil Sam…"

"I know you Dean. You wouldn't have let her go if you really thought she was gonna be a threat…" Nodding towards the clover, he carried on, "And something tells me she's grateful for that."

"But still… I had her right there. I had the gun aimed right at her but I couldn't pull the trigger. I should have… but I couldn't."

"You listened to your heart Dean. Not everything supernatural is evil… sometimes it's just misunderstood. Sometimes it needs to be given a chance to be good and you've given that to Morgan." He took a breath before going on, his eyes meeting Dean's. "I think she was afraid of being alone and I think she became so attached to being 'loved' by someone that she would have done anything to keep it."

"So you don't think I'm an idiot for letting her go?"

"I might think you're a lot of things Dean, but you're not an idiot."

Looking away, Dean shifted again before sliding himself from the hood to walk around to the driver's side. The movement indicated that the conversation was over but more because of Dean's reluctance to get involved in the deep chick flick moments that usually followed a conversation like that, with the hugging and the crying and… he didn't want that. He coughed, pulling his keys from his pocket and opened the door.

"So what do you say we grab some food then hit the road?" He asked and Sam nodded in agreement, moving around to the other side to climb in.

"Works for me."

"Just one thing Sam…"

"What's that?"

"Anyone asks about what happened; we leave out the faerie part. Okay? Freaking faeries; who'd have thought…"

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Thank you all so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed and I hope you're not too angry I let Morgan live. Mwuahaha... sorry. I just couldn't let Dean kill her... what with all the feelings he still had buried , I think it's just that little bit creepier leaving the idea of a stalker faerie out there.


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